Is A Life Full of Laughter
by Soul Music
Summary: All that I'm After: One. On an april day with his whole family surrounding him, he can't imagine anything could happen; but when a young stranger saves Kelly, Gibbs feels there's something deeply wrong here, can he help this brave boy? Can he save him?
1. Chapter 1

**All That I'm After: Is a Life Full of Laughter**

**First story in the **_**All That I'm After **_**series. A series of different 'Tony meets Gibbs' interpretations. I know they've been done before, but I may as well have a go at it. This is the first. **

**Dedication: Jen  
Tony's age: Twelve**

_All he was after was a life full of laugher_

Laughter filled the small table which over looked the sparkling lake. Boats bobbed gently in their docks, bumping softly against the lake banks. Gibbs slung an arm around his wife, still smiling from the story Shannon had been recounting about four year old Kelly. Shannon leant into the one armed embrace, Kelly snuggling against Gibbs' free side. The marine had a warm smile across his lips, matching the warm feeling spreading through his chest as his redhead and his strawberry blonde snuggled up to him.

The waitresses bustled up to their table, having just cleared away their plates, the check for the meal in hand. Placing the check folder on the table, she bustled off again in a way only waitresses could manage. Gibbs didn't really feel like getting up right now, or moving at all, but Kelly had already yawned widely.

"Come on, Princess." Gibbs squeezed his arm around Kelly for a moment before bringing out his wallet. "Let's get you back to the hotel room." His little girl didn't protest, but slid down from the comfortable stretched chair, his plaited hair bobbing against her back.

"Don't run on the edge, Kels!" Shannon called, the worried parent in her brimming against the surface. Kelly giggled cheerfully, chasing a frog as it leapt desperately across the wooden planking it had jumped onto.

"Kelly." Shannon called again, her bright eyes shining with parental difficulties, a few of the people enjoying an afternoon on the thick jetty looked up at her call.

"She's fine, Shan." Gibbs assured his redhead, a laugh in his voice, unlocking the driver's side of the truck. "It's not like she's going to fall off the jetty."

"Jethro, I'm allowed to worry, I'm a mother, and Kelly can't swim." Shannon countered smoothly.

"It's good she's got you looking out for her then." Gibbs grinned, his blue eyes lingering on his frolicking four year old. Sure, he was keeping a close eye on the child, there was no way anything was happening to his little girl under his watch, therefore nothing for his wife to worry about. Worrying was his job, to take the strain off his wife.

Kelly jumped forward, trying to catch the obviously lost little amphibian. The green frog bounced up again, trying to escape the excited child which was following it with obvious glee.

A young boy was swinging his legs in a bored fashion. His shoes and socks were sitting beside him, one bare foot swirling the ripples in the lake with a toe. His light hair had obviously been neatly brushed that morning, but every now and then the kid would ruffle his hair with a hand, letting it stick up. His dress, now that was something interesting. The day had started off warm, but the rain clouds had started rolling in for the traditional April Showers, the boy had a dark suit jacket to match his pants. But, the kid had thrown off his jacket, rolled up the sleeves of his white shirt and the hems of his pants, letting the spring breeze whip around his bare legs and arms.

There was a soft hum of conversation going around the jetty, which the boy wasn't paying any attention to. His mind was wandering, his imagination taking him away from his life towards somewhere different. A snow covered mountain to take a snowboard down. The last minute of a football game with the scores even and one throw to victory. _A warm arm wrapped around his shoulders._ The baseball speeding towards him, ready to be hit out of the stadium. _The arm tightening protectively around his shoulders. Indiana _Jones jumping off a train, him following just before the train ploughed off the cliff. _A soft kiss being pressed to his temple._

A scream broke through his day dreaming, his head whipping around towards the end of the jetty not three feet away. A large splash erupted from the water, sloshing onto the jetty, the ripples jumping up from the once calm water. The boy scrambled off his seat as a soaked strawberry blonde head burst from the water's surface a few metres out, the lapping tides of the lake carrying her further from the jetty. Without much thought, the kid broke into a sprint, pushing off the jetty's end with both feet together, hitting the water with his hands sharked out in front of him.

Strong strokes later, even from his lanky frame, the boy was able to make it up beside the struggling girl. He made a grab for her, hearing voices shout words he couldn't register. He was treading water furiously, reaching out a hand to grab the little girl's dress. Wrapping an arm around the girl, he tried to kick out into the water back towards the jetty. But, the little girl wasn't having any of it.

She screamed, flailing even harder. The boy's head was pushed back with a flailed hand, his grip loosening under the four year old. His hand lost its grip and his head splashed back below the surface, the girl following him.

Back in the car park just beyond the jetty both the parents also heard the terrified scream. Shannon even saw her little baby slip on the slick wooden planks, plunging backwards into the grey waters. She and her husband had sprinted off at the same moment, Gibbs considerably faster than her in her summer sandals. Shouts of their little girl's name filled the once quiet spring afternoon, but what neither parent had expected was the quick flash of a boy to dive elegantly into the murky waters after Kelly. Yet, the act was lost on both parents as Gibbs skidded to his knees on the damp wooden jetty, Shannon skittering to a half beside him.

"Give me your hand!" Gibbs shouted to the boy, who had reached his Kelly and was attempting to push back to shore.

"Kels! Kelly, you've gotta stop struggling, sweetheart!" Shannon's terrified shriek was projected just before the boy vanished from view, Kelly only just staying above the surface with her frantic thrashing.

Gibbs had already gotten to his feet, ready to jump into the dark waters, Shannon dropping to her knees in his place, trying to reach out to the young child. The marine had braced himself to jump, but just as he was about to bend his knees, he saw the pale head break the surface just in front of him, dragging Kelly along with him as he pushed off a rock jutting up from the lake bottom.

Shannon choked back a sob as Kelly was hoisted from the water, Gibbs grabbing her under her arms, cradling the little girl against his chest as she balled. He wrapped an arm around her, letting Shannon sink into the other as the wet child cried against her father's chest.

"It's okay, Princess, it's okay." He murmured into her pale hair, tightening his arm protectively around her shoulders.

A soft splash to his right made the sharp eared marine look round. The young boy, soaked to the skin with his hair plastered to his forehead made another attempt to pull himself onto the jetty, one hand slipping off the slimy jetty planking.

"Shan, take Kelly back to the car." He muttered softly, passing the young girl off to her mother, kissing his little baby on the head. Shannon stood slowly, careful not to jostle her daughter too much and so as not to slip on the jetty.

"Here." Gibbs held a hand out to the light haired boy, frowning slightly at the look of panic which flashed across the kid's green eyes. "C'mon, take my hand." His voice was calm, although his breathing hadn't quite returned to normal as the adrenaline coursed through his system. After a moment on hanging onto the jetty with one hand, the boy seemed to come to a decision through his inner battle. Raising a hand out of the water he gripped Gibbs outstretched hand tentatively, letting the strong marine pull him up onto the jetty.

Gibbs took in the boy, his pale hair was dripping wet, and his once smart white shirt clung to his skinny frame, his collar bone prominent against the white material. His pants looked filthy, the lake muck sticking to the fabric with a vengeance. Gibbs also noticed that the boy was shivering gently. No, the April afternoon wasn't turning out to be as pleasant as it was in the April morning.

"Where're your parents?" Gibbs asked the shivering child, his parent's instincts to find a blanket almost overpowering him. The kid didn't answer, wrapping his arms around his chest as a breeze drifted over the jetty.

"C'mon, let's get you dry." Gibbs tried a different tactic, pushing off his knees getting to his feet. The same flash of panic crossed the young boy's eyes, staring up at Gibbs with a hidden expression of fright.

"Hey, kiddo. I'm not gunna hurt you." Gibbs assured softly. "Come on, you've gotta be cold there." He smiled when Tony pushed himself up off the jetty by his hands, but the smile faltered when the kid yelped in pain when he put his weight on his right foot.

"Let's get that looked at." Gibbs voice remained calm even though concern was threading through his features. He gently put a hand on the kid's shoulder, ignoring the flinch which settled quickly, leading the limping figure towards their truck.

Shannon had Kelly bundled up in one of the blankets they always kept in the well stocked truck – Gibbs had always been adamant that they shouldn't go anywhere without at least two blankets and a first aid kit – when Gibbs lead the nervous boy up. Shannon's eyes lit up, pausing in her fawning over her little girl, who was held safely in her arms, to smile warmly at the boy.

"Thank-you. Thank-you so much." Her voice was quiet and sincere as she rocked her daughter. The kid made no answer, looking at his feet, arms still wrapped around himself against the cold.

Gibbs had fetched the remaining blanket, ready to wrap it tightly around the child's shoulders. He didn't expect the sharp flinch that pulled the boy a few steps away, stumbling on his injured foot.

"Hey, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you." Gibbs matched his wife's tone, instead just holding out the thick blanket towards him.

"What's your name?" Shannon asked kindly as the blanket was taken slowly from her husband's grasp. The boy raised his head slowly, shoulders tense.

"Anthony DiNozzo, Jr, ma'am." His voice was soft, light, and childish. But, Gibbs had noticed a depth to the voice which many children didn't possess, hardly any should.

"Okay, Anthony, can I have a look at your foot, I know it hurts, I just want to clean it up, that's it." Gibbs asked quietly, pulling down the back of the truck to indicate a perfect place for the young boy to sit. It took a few moments of another inner battle, but finally Tony pushed himself up onto the side of the truck's trunk, resting his back against the side.

Tony fought back another of those embarrassing flinches when Gibbs' gentle hands picked up his throbbing foot. The sharp stone he'd pushed off to resurface had cut a shallow gash across the side of his foot. Nothing dangerous but no doubt painful.

"You didn't answer my question, Anthony." Gibbs smiled at the brave child before him, resting his ankle over one thigh as he reached back for the first aid kit.

"Tony." Came a very quiet reply.

"What was what, sweetie?" Shannon had joined her husband at the back of their truck, looking over the quaking boy who had saved their – now slumber her car seat – baby girl.

"I…I like Tony."

"Okay, Tony." Gibbs nodded, casting a sideways glance towards Shannon. "Still didn't answer my questions."

"Jethro." Shannon scolded gently, watching the boy's face carefully as his green eyes filled with apprehension. Obviously using every ounce of his self control not to yank his foot away and run, especially when the calming marine sitting opposite him wiped an alcohol swab over his injured foot.

"It's okay ma'am." He replied tensely, one hand fiddling with the corner of the warm blanket which he'd wrapped tightly around his shoulders. "Um…what question?"

"Where are your parents, Tony?"

"I…they…I….um." There was a long pause. "I don't know." Came the final, almost inaudible answer.

"Oh, are you lost, honey?" Shannon brushed a hand over Tony's damp hair, stopping it sticking to his forehead. He jumped slightly at the warm touch, but to her credit he didn't pull away. Tony shook his head in answer.

"Then are your parents live around here?"

Again Tony shook his head.

"Come on, kid, help us out here a bit." Gibbs probed, ripping open the sterile pack of a bandage. The kid's fiddling on the edge of the blanket increased, his bright green eyes darting anywhere but towards the two adults.

"Tony?" Shannon's soft voice brought out a slight quiver in the usually strong willed young boy's lips, sheen of tears crossing his bright eyes. Gibbs rested a hand over the secured plaster in comfort, his parental instincts kicking into over drive.

"Tony…son, where are your parents?" His voice was direct, gentle as he leant forward towards the boy.

"They…he…they left me here." With the broken sentence, Tony wrenched his foot away, dropping the blanket into a heap on the gravel of the car park as he broke into a sprint, ignoring the pain from his foot. Skittering along the jetty he didn't hear the concerned shouts from behind him as he grabbed his pristine jacket and managing to snatch up one of his shoes before taking off again along the lake side.

Gibbs hadn't missed the sparkling tears racing down the young boy's cheek before he'd taken off at a frantic pace, tearing across the gravel on his injured foot. No, Gibbs hadn't missed that, but Tony had missed the barely concealed paling of anger Gibbs had shown at the child's stuttered words. No, Shannon had seen, and she knew. She knew her marine, she knew what it meant. The passionate redhead gave the marine a quick nod, her emotive eyes staring across at the quick figure of the young child that had saved her baby without even knowing her.

There was so little that could repay for that, but that had to try.

**Oooh, look at that, a new story. No, I'm not stopping with **_**In the Cold Water **_**I'm just multitasking. So, this is a bit AU, but you never know. I thought I'd give it a shot, I'd love to know what you guys think of it, I always do. Your reviews are amazing and if I had this much chocolate cake I'd give it all to you, but I do have unlimited virtual cookies. So, you can have them! Please do. Anyway, that's about it from me, but who knows where this'll go to! Lyrics by Daughtry. Smiles to Anni!**

**Soul Music**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two: Never Going to Dance Again**

**Dedication: Still Jen there! What? You deserve two chapters!**

**Tony's Age: Twelve**

A nod. That was all it took. Affirmation of his wife that everything was alright on this front. Gibbs jumped into a sprint which would've put a smile on his Commanding Officer's face. His long legs stretched as he skirted around the jetty, following the kid's frantic footfalls which left soft imprints in the mud. Bare feet, footprints as distinctive as fingerprints. This kids feet were small, relative to his size.

If Gibbs had been in a guessing mood, he would've put the child at around ten with his youthful features and innocent eyes, but his voice held that distinctive depth he couldn't place.

It didn't take long for Gibbs to find the boy. He skidded around the corner of the restaurant which overlooked the lake. The restaurant itself was on stilts, the veranda standing out over the lake, thick wooden pillars holding it in place. It was one of these sturdy pillars Gibbs found Tony leaning against, taking the weight off his bare foot, trying to jam his shoe onto his other foot, oblivious to the marine's presence.

Reaching out, Gibbs took the boy's arm in a quick, gently movement, turning him towards him. Even in the dim light, Gibbs could make out the streaks of tears down the boy's pale face. The rims of his eyes were already shading red as one hand swiped mindlessly at her cheek. There was a vigorous shaking in the child's whole frame and seconds later Gibbs had pulled him against his chest.

This time Tony didn't flinch. He wrapped one hand into the marine's shirt sleeve, his head buried in the strong shoulder. He didn't know this man, he didn't care. Less than ten minutes since the first sighting and yet he already felt safer and more cared for than by his father. A father who had never bandaged up a wound when he scraped his knees falling off his bike, a father who never hugged his child and left that _job _to the nannies. Tony's fist tightening on Gibbs sleeve, hanging on for dear life to this solid, warm figure.

Gibbs hadn't expected such a… he didn't quite know what to call it. It wasn't enthusiasm; it was the absence of such. Deflation. The boy seemed so defeated as he clung to Gibbs, his frame shaking with the pitiful sobs. Confusion was obvious in Gibbs' blue eyes, but he schooled it well, rubbing a tentative hand across the boy's shoulder, just making sure he wasn't going to duck away out of the apprehension he'd shown earlier.

It only took a few quiet minutes before the sobs quietened down, the shaking depleting just as the boy's energy had. Gibbs didn't try letting go, just kept a secure arm around his shoulder, keeping his head against his shoulder. But, it wasn't long until the kid pulled away, his cheeks colouring with embarrassment.

He stumbled back slightly, breaking the embrace, his eyes averted to anywhere but the stranger before him.

"I'm sorry…I'm really…I'm sorry." He muttered, catching one hand on the pillar behind him, absentmindedly taking the weight off his injured foot.

"I know I shouldn't cry. I'm not a child anymore, really I'm not. I'm twelve." He nodded to himself, attempting to convey some sort of meaning into his own mind.

"I'm just…I'm going now." He stuttered finally, but Gibbs still hadn't let go of the gentle grip on his arm. Tony looked up for a moment, confusion colouring his eyes just as much as they had with Gibbs before.

"Please, sir…let me go."

"Where to, Tony? Where do you want to go."

Rallying himself in a way Gibbs hadn't expected, Tony straightened slightly, trying to regain some sort of composure, "Don't know…somewhere." Tony's eyes were continuously darting around the ground, refusing to meet Gibbs concerned gaze. Sighing, the marine reached forward, a single finger under Tony's chin bringing the huge, shining green eyes up to meet his.

"Where are your parents? Where's your mother? Are you on holiday?"

Tony stilled at the word 'mother' swallowing a lump which had formed in his throat. He dropped his gaze again, unable to uphold the fierce blue stare any longer.

"I miss her…" The voice was less than a whisper. "She…she died." He choked out with a sob, suppressing the almost overwhelming urge to cry once more.

"And your dad, Tony?" Gibbs pressed for more. He knew he shouldn't and Shannon would deeply scold him for it, but there was a nagging feeling that he had to know where this child's parents where, why he was alone beside the lake. Why he'd jumped in after Kelly. Why?

Tony shivered once more, wrapping an arm around his chest. "He's…not here." The boy replied lamely, failing to avoid Gibbs' piercing gaze asking for more. "He… forgot, I think."

"Forgot what?" Gibbs had guessed he already knew the answer.

"Me." The voice was laced with embarrassment as well as an undertone of shame. Gibbs sucked in a sharp breath, his jaw clenching with obvious distaste.

The poor boy in front of him, with little knowledge of social normality, took the distaste as directed towards himself. He gave a weak tug on his arm, but Gibbs hold had tightened on his forearm.

"Sir? Please…" The shining green eyes pleaded, his whole body tense.

"No." Came the monosyllabic reply, his voice harder than he'd meant it to be. Tony hunched his shoulders, trying to fold in on himself.

"No, Tony." Gibbs' voice softened. "You're coming back with me. Your father left you here?"

Tony nodded.

"Not a real father." The hand gripping Tony's arm loosened slightly, Gibbs' thumb rubbing over the damp white fabric.

There had been many things he hadn't expected that day. Hadn't expected to meet this brave young boy with the selfless attitude. Hadn't expected the fear and the flinch, pain in the child's gaze; a gaze far too adult for his youthful looks. But there seemed more to come from the once perfect April afternoon. As his thumb rubbed over in what he felt was a comforting manner, the smooth fabric gave way to a slight uneven patch.

An unforeseen, pitiful cry of pain wrenched from the child. His breathing erratic as the pain receptors fired off mercilessly. Gibbs eyes widened in a mixture of confusion, comfort and worry. All things Tony had rarely seen before.

The green eyes were terrified, the breaths coming fast as Gibbs carefully unbuttoned the cuff, folding back the sleeve. A once white bandage had now soaked up the filthy lake water, hanging loose as the water logged fabric had grown heavy. Underneath, a sight to make Gibbs stomach flip gruesomely.

Four long, raised, crimson streaks marred the boy's fair skin. But, it wasn't just the painful markers. It was that Gibbs knew what made the distinctive circular markings of belt holes. _Whipped. _

Gibbs controlled his voice with difficulty, trying to keep the anger out.

"Who? Who did this?" Oh, he had an idea, he knew. He did. Suspicion. One that was confirmed by the silence.

"Oh, kid." Gibbs didn't bother worrying about fear, but yanked the child into a protective hug.

_What was wrong with some parents? Beating, whipping a child. This child, who had turned into such a brave, good kid. Selfless and polite, sweet. No, it was right. It wasn't fair…No._

The trembling had returned, whether from cold or something else was unknown.

"It's okay, kid, you're safe now." He answered squeezing the embrace.

After a moment he pulled back, gazing at the honest green eyes of the boy before him.

"I promise, I will help you. Any way I can." He tapped a finger under Tony's chin, bringing the first small smile he's seen from the kid. Stroking his cheek affectionately, Gibbs frowned slightly.

"C'mon, you're freezing." Gibbs prompted, an arm around the shivering shoulders, leading him back the way he'd hobbled, taking some of his weight from the injured foot. Who knew what other injuries the child had sustained at the hands of that…monster? Creatures like that rarely stopped at one time. There was always a pattern.

Shannon was sitting with her feet resting out of the truck when she saw Gibbs returning with the boy, Tony's bag which he'd left on the jetty over Gibbs' shoulder. She hadn't expected anything less from her marine; he was always out to save. Casting a glance over the softly slumbering Kelly before jumping out of the truck, Shannon grabbed the previously discarded blanket.

Tony soon found himself curled up in a blanket, huddled in the back seat next to the strawberry haired girl, her hair now almost dry from the vigorous rubbing Shannon had given her.

"Who is he, Jethro?" The truck pulled up outside the cottage rented out for the holiday. Gibbs cut the engine, switching his gaze from the road to the rear view mirror. A sleeping Kelly and a snuggled up, dozing Tony. He still looked pale with patched circles under his eyes but Kelly looked as pink and boisterous as ever…even if she was asleep.

Shannon nudged him with a hand when he didn't answer. "I don't know, Shan." He replied quietly, sliding out of the car, his wife following suit.

"Did you find anything else about him?" His wife pushed, glancing back at the resting boy in the back seat. Her own mothering instinct was kicking in just as strongly as Gibbs' was.

"He…his father left him here." Gibbs scrubbed a hand over his face, closing the drivers softly. "He's been whipped, Shan." His wife brought in the same sharp breath, shock and horror colouring her emotive eyes.

"Oh, God Jethro." She murmured. How could anyone beat a child. She might be considered the stricter of the two parents, but she could never raise a hand towards Kelly. Never.

"But, what are we going to do with him?" As much as she wanted to help this sweet boy, repay him for what he did, she couldn't see that many options. A boy needed his parents, needed some sort of help and structure in life. She'd never send him into the foster system.

Being a teacher she'd had enough conversations with social workers to know that most parents fostered or adopted much younger children. She'd been told by a particularly exasperated social worker that many prospective parents believed that older children tended to carry more 'baggage' than younger. It almost hurt to see.

"We'll talk about it later." Gibbs muttered as his sharp blue eyes saw Kelly shift slightly in the back. Shannon was already opening her door, pulling her little girl into her arms safely. Kelly murmured something softly into her mother's shoulders, her eyelids fluttering before she drifted back into a comfortable snooze. Knowing his little girl, Gibbs was sure she'd be out for hours if laid down to sleep.

Crossing to the other passenger door, he pulled it open , reaching in to shake Tony's shoulder gently.

"Hey, kiddo, time to wake it up." His voice was soft and welcoming, the warm hand resting against the base of his neck eliciting the boy to lean slightly against the touch. Gibbs couldn't help the smile which quirked at the sides of his mouth.

Tony drifted back to consciousness slowly, blinking dimly in the late afternoon haze. He stared around his location for a moment, his brain taking in the unfamiliar details and hand on his shoulder.

Quick as a flash he scrambled away, his back hitting the closed door on the opposite side of the car. Gibbs held up his hands coolly. "It's right, remember me?"

Tony took a few moments, but he nodded, embarrassment colouring his cheeks as he slipped out of the car. "Sorry." He murmured, wrapping his arms around his backpack that had been by his feet.

"Nothin' to be sorry about there, kid. Not surprising you got a bit scared there."

"I wasn't scared. I'm not a baby." Gibbs chuckled softly. He'd given the boy a bit of a look up and down when he'd slipped out of the car. He was still hobbling a bit with the gash on his foot, he held his injured arm rather more carefully than the other…and he was still shivering very gently. The heating in the car had been up and it wasn't too cold outside. He was moving stiffly as well, as if his muscles were aching, but he didn't want to press for too much more information. He'd almost drilled the boy before hand.

Gibbs lead the boy inside, watching his slightly floppy movements carefully, concern subtly written in his eyes, walking a pace behind the boy to make sure he didn't stumble.

Shannon, having wrapped Kelly up in bed and pressed a kiss to her forehead, smiled as her husband guided the boy across to the bathroom, talking softly to him all the way.

Back at the lake a smartly dressed secretary frowned at the absence of the small boy he'd been told to collect. He'd had a cursory look before asking questions, reciting the description of A. DiNozzo Jr. The story he'd been told had not put a smile on his face. Instead he'd requested to use the restaurants landline and made the unpleasant call.

"Mr. DiNozzo? This is Jonathan Copperfield."

"_Yes? And what can I do for you, Jonathan, I am very busy."_

"It's Anthony, Mr. DiNozzo."

"_Do I really want to know what the boy has done now?"_

"Apparently he dived into the lake to save a little girl.

"_He dived into the lake?" _Came the disbelieving voice. _"In his suit? That was the last clean one he had. Bring him home Copperfield, I'll deal with him in the morning."_

"Ah, well…I'm afraid, sir, that he apparently left with some other customer."

"_He did what? He's running away? Worthless brat! Find out whom it was and bring him home, Copperfield, I will not have this insolence from Anthony."_

The phone line was disconnected and Copperfield sighed deeply. Handing the phone back to the receptionist and exited the restaurant back towards his car.

**And another chapter finished! It's all going good…well not really for Tony in the short term, right? Love to hear all your comments and enthusiasm, if you like it please do say. If you think something could go in there please say that too. I'll make this one short, the reviews are great, the readers are great, it's a good life. This'll be continued soon!**

**Eryn & Anni**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three: Don't Walk Away**

Tony had hugged his bag to his chest, green eyes staring around the clean, well lit bathroom. There were soft towels in blue and white hanging over the towel heater and a fog-glass fronted shower.

Gibbs heard the shower turn on, the water pattering against the bathroom tiled. He made his way gently downstairs, glancing into the bedroom where a newly changed and wrapped up Kelly was sleeping off her exciting afternoon. The kitchen was an ensuit to the living room, giving a perfect view from the stairs. Shannon had just straightened up from the oven, brushing her hands down on a dish cloth.

"What's cooking?" Gibbs asked, snaking his arms around his wife's waist. Shannon was the only person he'd never been able to sneak up on.

"I thought our guest might be hungry. It's not a masterpiece, but it's something." Shannon turned in her husbands arms, kissing him lightly on the nose. She sighed.

"Sometime we'll have to decide what to do with him, can't you call someone to find some other family of his?" Gibbs nodded mutely, musing to himself.

"Can't do Social Services, can we?" He muttered, more to himself than anyone else.

"Definitely not. He'd spend six years bouncing from house to house. It seems cruel." Gibbs again nodded his agreement, resting his chin on the top of Shannon's silky red hair. "We'll figure something out." Shannon decided after a moment as the shower turned off upstairs, leaving the house in uncustomary silence.

Shannon broke away from her marine, the coffee machine making its pitiful wailing noise to say it was done. Gibbs gave her a bright smile, grabbing the car keys off the kitchen island, heading towards the door.

Tony had changed when he exited the bathroom, trying to shove his wet shirt into his bag.

"Oh, it's alright, honey. Come on, we'll hang it up here, don't want to get everything else wet." Shannon's soft voice penetrated his thoughts. He turned nervous green eyes towards her, but out of some sense of politeness nodded pulling the crumpled mess back out.

"Just round here, its okay I don't bite." There was a quiet laugh in her voice as she led the fidgeting boy into the kitchen where a radiator was clear of laundry. Draping the once white shirt and jacket over the radiator, spreading them out to dry them as quickly as possible, Shannon indicated the seats around the kitchen island.

"You hungry, Tony?" Gibbs voice asked, making the boy spin on his chair, catching himself from falling on the island. The marine dumped the armful of blankets, towels and other random pieces he'd just hauled in from the car on the sofa. Earning a glare from his wife.

"Don't leave it there, Jethro, what happens if someone wants to sit on it?" She asked with mild exasperation. Gibbs just frowned.

"Then they move it out the way." He shrugged simply, shooting a fleeting grin at his wife. Tony let a small smile curve across his lips at the easy interaction. Shannon just rolling her eyes as Gibbs crossed to the coffee machine, flicking it on with a finger. He turned back to Tony with a smile.

"So…hungry?"

Tony nodded shyly, his green eyes switching over to the oven which Shannon was fussing over. The smell of pizza penetrated the kitchen, causing Tony's eyes to light up. Gibbs shared a look with Shannon as she slid the steaming pizza with it's still bubbling cheese across onto a heat mat on the kitchen island as Tony's eyes followed it as if it was going to vanish if he blinked.

"Dig in, kiddo." Gibbs prompted when Tony looked hesitant.

"With my fingers?" The small voice asked.

"Is there another way to eat pizza?" Gibbs snagged a piece even if he wasn't actually hungry just to put the kid at ease. It seemed enough prompt for the boy as he reached forward to collect a piece of the steaming Italian style thin-crust.

By the third piece, Gibbs decided to try his luck. He'd already been given affirmation from Shannon, who slid into a seat between Gibbs and Tony.

"Tony, can I ask you a question?" The boy looked up, swallowing his last mouthful as he nodded tentatively.

"Do you know why your dad hit you? Was he drunk?" Probably not the best first question to come out with. The boy let his gaze drop to the polished top of the island.

"I…I…it was…my…was….my mom…" He trailed off, one hand fiddling with the hem of his clean shirt.

"What about your mom, sweetheart?" Shannon asked, leaning forward slightly.

"My…father. He said she…he said she was the only one. The one who wanted me, he didn't want any kids but she wanted one so…well, me. But…she died." The last sentence was whispered, hardly audible.

"Oh, darling." Shannon sighed, wrapping her arms around the deflated child. Gibbs rubbed a hand over his chin, pushing back his chair. Rounding the end of the island, the marine laid a hand on Tony's shoulder.

"Is there any family we can call, Tony? Anyone else?" Shannon asked, stroking a hand over the boy's soft, still slightly damp pale hair. There was a pause before Tony shook his head. He had no relations on his mothers and whilst he did have a big family on his father's side they weren't likely to take him in. Neither Gibbs nor Shannon pushed for that.

"We'll figure something out, I promise." Gibbs' voice was defiant, squeezing gently the kid's shoulder. They would.

The knock at the door didn't wake Tony. Which Gibbs had to be thankful for; Shannon had just slipped away to check on Kelly whilst Gibbs had kept a careful eye on the kid curled up on the sofa. His complexion seemed to have returned to a healthier colour, but his cheekbones were still far too prominent through the skin than they should be. His eyes a little too sunken than natural. He'd be a real head turner, but there was such vulnerability in his curled position, huddled in on himself with his mismatched socks sticking out slightly from under the thick duvet from the master bedroom.

Gibbs pushed himself slowly out of the chair when another knock echoed from the doorway. Pausing briefly to pull a fold of duvet over Tony's socked feet, he made his way cautiously towards the door.

He took a cursory look through the peep hole. It was a single man standing without, his head turned to the side, looking away from the door. Even from the distorted image Gibbs could make out a suit. Bracing his shoulders, he glanced over his shoulder, meeting Shannon's eyes for a moment as she took a stance beside Tony. He took the curb chain off and unlocked the door.

"Yes?" He asked.

"Mr. Gibbs? My name is Jonathan Copperfield, I am Mr. DiNozzo's secretary." Gibbs regarded the man with his blonde hair swept back from his forehead with a cold, blank silence.

"Urm…I believe you have Mr. DiNozzo's son. He is grateful for you looking after him and I am here to escort him home."

Again, Gibbs fixed the squirming secretary with a piercing stare. There was a long, drawn out, awkward pause, broken only by a soft whimper.

Gibbs' head turned in a second, fixing the imagine of Shannon turning to crouch down beside Tony, who had slipped back to consciousness without anyone noticing.

"M…Mr. Copperfield?" Tony shuddered, his green eyes fogged with confusion.

"Good evening, Anthony." Copperfield gave a thin smile to the boy around Gibbs shoulder. The marine moved into his eye line, blocking Tony from view, and it wasn't an accident.

"Why does Mr. DiNozzo want his son?" Gibbs voice was blank, empty of emotion. Now it was Copperfield's turn to stare.

"Because…Well, because Anthony is his son and he's been worried about him."

"What?" Tony burst out, standing up quickly. "Worried about me? He's never been worried about me." Copperfield didn't try to argue, he didn't know why he was still working for DiNozzo. He hated the man, hated the way he treated his workers, hated his fake smiles towards his customers, hated the way he treated his son. Maybe that was why he was still around, he'd let the kid sneak behind his desk when his father was in a more than usual fowl mood. He hated seeing that expression, intelligent, sweet little kid cowering, it wasn't right. He'd seen the smiles and the laughter on those incredibly rare occasions, so many fewer occasions now.

"I'm just here to take you home, Tony. Nothing more." The boy in question shuddered at the idea, Shannon dropping a hand onto his shoulder.

"He's not going." Gibbs answer had the finality of a volcano. Copperfield sighed.

"I really didn't want to bring this up, but if Anthony doesn't come with me I will be forced to call the police and report a kidnapping."

"A kidnapping, of whom?" Shannon asked.

"Of Anthony. He is a minor, taken out of adult custody without permission. I'm obligated to call the authorities." There was a hesitant streak in Copperfield's voice, a regretful look in his brown eyes.

"He's not-."

"Gibbs." Gibbs was cut off by a soft voice from behind him. He turned slowly away from Copperfield. Tony was standing, rubbing a hand over his arm absentmindedly. An arm Gibbs had patiently and gently bandaged back up whilst Shannon talked softly to the boy.

"I don't want to get you into trouble."

"Sweetheart, it won't-." Shannon started, but again, against Tony's previously polite nature, cut her off.

"Yeah, it will. Thanks for…for what you did." He nodded to himself, bending down to pick up his rucksack which he'd discarded by the couch.

"Tony-." Gibbs started

"No, thanks Gibbs. Shannon. You've been real kind," His voice was quiet, but determined. "Say bye to Kelly for me."

Gibbs stopped the boy just before he made it to the door, kneeling down in front of him. He reached inside his pocket, holding up a small card.

"This has my number on it and my address, you need _anything_, you don't hesitate to call. I'll put Shannon's number for work on the back, okay?"

Tony nodded shyly, smiling warmly. Copperfield produced a pen from inside his lapel, handing it to Gibbs. Gibbs quickly scribbled the number down and tucked it into the breast pocket of Tony's shirt. Tony smiled again, ready to shrug out of the jacket Gibbs had draped over him before retrieving the duvet.

"Keep it, kiddo. Looks good on you." That brought forth a light giggle, the coat was far too big, but it was warm. Tony took a deep breath, glancing up towards Copperfield, who tried to give what he hoped was a reassuring smile. Gibbs tapped the boy under the chin.

"Head up, Tony, it'll be okay."

With that Tony glanced back up at Shannon, who moved forward and pressed a kiss to the boy's hair before reluctantly letting him step out into the April night with Copperfield's hand on his shoulder. Gibbs straightened up, watching as the car pulled out into the road. Shannon rested her head against his shoulder, prompting him to wrap an arm around her. How he hoped his last words were the truth.

A week and a half later a package turned up on the doorstep, no return address and a post mark from New York. Opening the paper with caution lay Gibbs' jacket. Freshly laundered, folded neatly and almost un-noticeably in the folds of fabric on the back of the jacket a freshly sewn up rip and a discoloured line along the sealed rip. Nothing more was heard.

-------------  
**Thanks for still reading in, and the reviews, they seriously make this worth while, thanks for that. Hope you're liking this, all comments are welcome! And Jen, I'd say it was coming on pretty well, thanks for enquiring. Hopefully a new chapter will be up shortly and I am writing a new chapter for **_**In the Cold Waters,**_** just slowly. It's still in progress. And that's all from me right now, enjoy!**

**Eryn and Anni**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four: It's All a Game**

**Dedication: Megan – thanks for the idea!**

_It's all a game, avoiding failure, all in the name of misbehaviour – Poets of the Fall_

Shannon looked up as someone knocked on the door of her classroom. It was a sound which always drew the attention of everyone in the room, especially when the majority of the occupants were under seven years of age.

"Come in." She called jovially, straightening up from where she'd been crouching by one of the small tables. The door opened carefully, Shannon recognising one of the women from the office of her school standing in the doorway.

"Uh, Shannon, there's a call for you." The woman stated, smiling awkwardly.

"Where? Who is it?" Shannon asked, slightly confused already.

"The office, a man, he didn't give his name but he said it was really urgent." Shannon blinked for a moment, turning her head to look over at her classroom assistant.

"I won't be a moment, Jenna, can you go without me?"

"Sure, Shan." Jenna smiled from her position next to a pouting little six year old. Ah, learning to write your name was always a joy with a new class. Shannon smiled back, following the office lady back into the corridor. The school was hardly a maze, one corridor leading down from Shannon's class room round a single corner and the entrance office stood open and inviting in the pale orange glow on the October afternoon.

"That one there." The office woman pointed to a phone which was off the hook just inside the office. Shannon leant herself against the desk, picking up the phone.

"Hello?"

"_Mrs. Gibbs?"_

"Yes, can I ask who this is, please?"

"_My name is Jonathan Copperfield, I met you a few months back."_

"Yes…I remember." Six months to be exact. "What's this about, Mr. Copperfield?"

"_Well…urm…Anthony's father…"_

"Yes?" Shannon prompted, turning her back on the office.

"_He pushed him out."_

"Out?"

"_Yes, I don't know the details, Mrs. Gibbs, but he is now refusing to even acknowledge that he has a son."_

Shannon paused for a moment, taking the information in. "Where is Tony now, then?"

"_I…uh, I don't know,"_

"You don't know? He's twelve for heaven sake! Out alone and-."

"_Mr. Gibbs! When Tony asked me to post the jacket your husband lent to him back to you he told me that he wanted to escape, that you should check the jacket if something happened to him. But, his father kicked him out before he could run I believe. He asked you to check the coat."_

"Why?"

"_He didn't say. I'm sorry I can't be of more help but I can't be seen on the phone to you. I wish I could be of more help, Mrs. Gibbs."_

The line went dead. Shannon blinked for a moment, still holding the phone receiver in one hand.

"Everything okay, Shannon?" Marissa, the lady who had knocked on the classroom door, asked carefully. Shannon turned, still thinking.

"Um, yes, I'm fine. Can I borrow a phone book?"

"Sure!" Marissa smiled brightly, reaching behind her desk and pulling out the thick phone directory. Shannon took it with a quick 'thank-you' and flicked through the pages until she found the right number. Dialling she turned her back on the office again, drumming her fingernails against the desk.

"_Nick Archer's auto repair, Jeffrey speaking." _The answer over the phone came on the fifth ring. Shannon straightened.

"Oh, hi. I'm Shannon Gibbs, my husband brought our car in this morning. He said he'd stay, do you know if he's still there, I really need to speak to him."

"_I'll just check for you, ma'am."_

Shannon waiting, her usual patience nowhere to be seen.

"_Shannon? What's going on?" _Her husband's distinctive voice asked on the other end of the phone a few moments later.

"Jethro, don't panic."

"_That doesn't really help, Shan."_

"Just promise me you won't."

"_Okay, honey. I promise."_

"I just got a call from Jonathan Copperfield." She paused, trying to gauge Gibbs' reaction.

"_Who?"_

"The man who…collected Tony."

"_What? Out of the blue? What did he want?" _Gibbs voice had taken on a different tone now, more serious, more direct.

"You promised you wouldn't panic, darling…but, Tony's father he…"Shannon trailed off, trying to put words to her new knowledge.

"_He what, Shannon?" _Request or command?

"He…kicked him out, Jethro." There was silence on the line. "Jethro?"

"_Where is he now, Shannon?"_

"I…they…well, it's just….I don't know."

"_I'm comin' home now Shannon, we'll find him."_

"We will." Shannon agreed to the dial tone, placing the phone back down on the cradle.

"Marissa, can you tell Jenna to finish up for me today, I have a…family emergency." Shannon called hurriedly as she exited from the office, heading towards the staff room to grab her bag before running the few blocks back to the Marine base.

……………………………………………………………………………………**.**

Gibbs had already made it home by the time Shannon slipped through the door. Luckily, Kelly was still at pre-school and would be for the next two hours. Shannon flung her arms around her husband before anything, letting him kiss her tenderly on the cheek, murmuring, 'it'll be alright' in her soft hair. Pulling back after a moment, Shannon met her husband's cool eyes.

"The jacket, the one sent back where is it?"

Gibbs blinked. "Hanging up by the door, why?" He followed her back towards the door, which neither of them had bothered to close, and found her rifling through the thick winter coats, pulling the specific one down.

"When Jonathan Copperfield called me, he said check the coat. Tony told him to." She was nodding to herself, rifling through the pockets. Gibbs hadn't worn the coat since it had been opened on the kitchen table almost six months before, the weather had been far too warm and even now it had been forgotten about at the back of the hangers.

"What did he say about the coat?" Gibbs helped his wife search, pulling out the various inner and outer pockets.

"Didn't have time to say." Shannon sighed in frustration. "There's nothing here!" She dropped her side of the jacket, laying her hands firmly on her hips, her brow creased as she tried to think. "What could you hide in a jacket? Or where could you hide it?" She mused aloud. Gibbs was silent for a moment, looking over the familiar jacket with a thoughtful, sharp eye.

Without any notice he strode into the kitchen, Shannon hurrying behind him. What she found when she caught up with her marine was Gibbs holding a large carving knife and the jacket spread on its back over the kitchen table.

"Jethro! What the hell are you doing?" She exclaimed as he brought the knife down on the line of neat stitching down the seam of the lining.

"This wasn't here when he had it, you didn't put it there and it's too neat for me to have done it. It's the only thing that's different." He muttered, slicing through the cotton thread holding the two ripped sides together. He used his fingers for the last parts, not caring about the frayed edges as he tore down the seam, revealing the course lining of the warm jacket. Shannon put a hand to her mouth.

Soaked into the thick padding with a sickening dark mud colour was the unmistakable faded colour of blood. The outside of the jacket had been thoroughly cleaned, possibly even bleached, but no-one had checked the insides. Nestled on the stained padding was a blood-smudged folded sheet of paper. Gibbs picked it up carefully, almost fearful to unfold it.

But he did, peeling the corners apart, wincing when the blood stuck to the sides, cracking when he pulled the folds apart.

_1422 Oaken Belvedere Close New York_

That was it. Wobbly, slanted handwriting, faded over time, smudged before the ink dried. A bloody, smudged finger print caressed the side of the rip of paper, sliding off the edge of the torn page. Gibbs swallowed.

"Oaken Belvedere. Where is that?"

"I'll find it." Shannon's voice was small as she went to check the name, leaving Gibbs to stare down at the small tear of paper in his fingers. He didn't know how long he stood there until his wife called back from the adjoining room.

"It's the other side of New York City." Gibbs looked up sharply. New York. Four hour drive from here by his standards. He turned to see his wife standing in the doorway.

"Go Jethro, I'll explain to Kelly." Gibbs sighed, tucking the scrap of paper in his pocket.

"I'll be back, make sure she knows that. I didn't leave without saying goodbye." He prompted as he grabbed the car keys from where he'd dropped them on the living room table when he'd first come in.

"She knows." Shannon assured, passing Gibbs his coat as he hurried towards the door.

"I love you." Kissing her on the cheek, Gibbs jogged out towards the driver's side of the car, newly fixed with replaced brake disks.

"I love you too." Shannon murmured, watching the car pull out on to the street and the wheel spin, leaving tire marks as the car jumped into gear, speeding up the road with the usual craziness.

………………………………………………………………………………………

The drive was tense, silent. Car horns blared and drivers shouted, but Gibbs paid no attention. He had the pedal floored all along the I-95 S. Sped past the Turnpike and Baltimore without a backward glance. Ignored the cheerful signs proclaiming he was entering the District of Colombia or even Maryland. No, all that was lost. Oaken Belvedere was a small backstreet set around a dingy corner. By seven at night the streetlamps had turned on, casting their meagre glow across the dingy street.

1422 was, unsurprisingly, next to 1424 and 1420, opposite 1421. There was little light coming from the murky windows and little that was welcoming about the blank front door and covered up windows. Gibbs checked the scrap of paper again, just in case he was wrong. No, this was it.

Taking a breath, his breath clouding out in front of him, cold for the October weather, Gibbs stepped up the litter covered front path. The cold nipped at his fingers as he raised a hand to knock on the peeling white paint of the door. There was a good minute pause, Gibbs considered knocking again, but a sliver of light fell across the path.

"Sì?" A suspicious voice asked, but no figure appeared.

"My name is Gibbs, Jethro Gibbs, I'm-." The door opened wide, a short, middle aged man in tatty trousers and shirt stared at him in disbelief.

"Marinaio?" The brown eyes were wide with anticipation now. Gibbs limited Italian picked out the word, not caring to correct 'Sailor' with 'Marine' right now. Especially since he didn't actually know the word for 'marine' in Italian.

"Sissignore." He replied, mustering up what of the language he knew.

"Signore Gibbs! You have come!" The man exclaimed in wonderment, almost bouncing up and down on the spot.

"You must come in!"

"Do you know about Tony?" Gibbs tried to direct him back to the point, stepping over the threshold anyway into the dimly lit hallways.

"Little Antonio. Sì. Sì. Aurella!" The man called down the hallways and a head appeared.

"Who is this, Raphael?" She commanded an answer, staring at Gibbs without much warmth.

"Signore Gibbs, Aurella!"

"Signore Gibbs!" She echoed, her eyes brightening up. "You have come."

Gibbs just nodded, trying not to show his confusion about the matter.

"Do you know where Anton-Tony, is?" He pressed again, tension still building up in his chest.

"Sì, Signore." Raphael's voice had turned grave. "He here." Aurella nodded, her face also serious.

"You come." Aurella had a very demanding, direct voice. Nothing Gibbs hadn't heard before. He glanced at Raphael, who nodded at him when he passed, following to where Aurella had disappeared inside the far room.

The room beyond was well scrubbed, but small. Too small to even be cosy. The interior of the house gave the completely opposite impression of the outside. Whilst the outside was dingy and dirty, the inside was clean and lit and well cared for. Aurella was standing by another door, waiting for him. Gibbs could feel Raphael's presence behind him but carried on forward, pushing open the door further when Aurella slipped inside.

The room inside was a bedroom. A soft orange glow lit a halo of light across a small bed, a hand knitted quilt tucked in tight across the under blankets. But that wasn't what stole Gibbs' breath away.

The pale, ghostly figure did that.

"Tony." He breathed, blue eyes showing shock, disbelief…fear?

"Piccolo Antonio." Aurella was bending over the bed, Gibbs fell to his knees on the thread bear carpet, one hand hovering over Tony's hair. He'd seen battle wounds, he'd even treated some, but this. This was something different. This was _wrong. _

"Oh, Tony." Gibbs murmured, finally allowing himself to brush his hand over Tony's soft hair. The boy moaned quietly, shifting his position on his side at the entrance of a hand over his hair. One bruised eyelid flickered, the other completely swollen shut. His entire cheek was a mask of mottled grey and purple, the colours merging back and forth like a Picasso painting. A sliver of blurred green blinked in the dim light.

"Hey," Gibbs muttered softly, running his hand over the abused head once more.

"G-Gibbs?" The voice was scratchy, hardly audible.

"Yeah, buddy, it's me." Gibbs eyes flickered to where Raphael was standing in the doorway, Aurella hovering beside him. "It's okay, kiddo, I'm here now."

Tony's green eyes were framed with a silver slash of tears, threatening to skitter down his cheek.

"How long's he been here?" Gibbs asked, trying to assess how bad the boy was from his face alone.

"Two day." Raphael answered softly.

"Two days? Two days! And he hasn't been taken to hospital?" Gibbs voice rose before he could control it. Tony cringed back, first in fear then the pain hit. Tony's whimper brought Gibbs attention back to him.

"Hey, kiddo, I'm just gunna have a quick look." If no-one had checked on him, who knew how bad Tony really was. Gibbs had to know, had to see. Tony made no protest as Gibbs gently unwrapped the quilt and the blankets from his thin form. Tony was wearing a tattered plain white t-shirt. Gibbs carefully pulled up the shirt, his breath leaving his lungs once more at the sign. It wasn't just the patchwork of endless gruesome colour. It wasn't the spiders web of thin, winding cuts.

The skin, stretched across his ribcage showed the position of every rib. Ever curve and edge. Every crack and crumple. Every break and shift of bone on bone.

"Oh, kiddo." Gibbs swallowed, his eyes transfixed as the ribs scraped against one another when Tony drew in breath after painful breath. Replacing the blankets, since shivering would not be pleasant, Gibbs saw Tony's hands, fingers curled into fists. At one time those fists had been so tight as to whitened the skin around the knuckles, cut half moon lines into his palm. But there was no strength for that now. Just curled fingers into the sheets.

"He come to me. He come to me two day ago." Aurella's voice was soft. "I were his nanny, I knew what his father did. I try to do something but I fired." She continued, staring fondly at the quivering boy, leaning into the warm caress over his hair. "I tell him he can come to me any time. He arrived, he come himself we think. All the way, maybe he helped. I don't know. Me and Raphael, we love him, love him more than his father does. We care for him, wait for you."

Gibbs listened silently, gently uncurling Tony's clenched fingers and sliding his own hand in. He hated how weak the grip was that curved around his hand, the trembling in the fingers, the heat radiating from the child.

"I need to get him help." Gibbs finally tore his eyes away from the small boy who had taken hold of his heart so strongly. "He needs a hospital."

"We cannot! He father will find him!" Raphael hissed urgently.

"He needs it." Gibbs insisted. "I'll take him, he won't find him." He met Aurella's eyes and she nodded soberly. Gibbs gritted his teeth, "Hey, Tony?" His voice was soft and gentle. Tony slid his eyes towards Gibbs, blinking sluggishly.

"I'm gunna get you help, okay? I'm gunna take you to help." Tony nodded, his head lolling slightly from the effort. Taking a breath, Gibbs brushed a final hand over Tony's hair before sliding a hand behind his back and lifting the broken body as carefully as he could.

Tony yelped pitifully, his hand clenching into Gibbs collar, breath catching in his chest.

"Real good, you're doin' real good, kiddo." Gibbs murmured as he straightened up, the child cradled against his chest. He was horribly surprised when he found Tony's weight was similar to that of his _five _year old daughter. He was so thin. "Okay, son. That's it." Gibbs continued to murmur soft encouragements to the shaking boy as Aurella wrapped a blanket over him, stepping back to let the tall marine carry her Piccolo Antonio back down the dim corridor. "I've got you now, buddy. I've got you now."

Gibbs warm arm wrapped around Tony's shoulders, his arm tightening protectively against the cold. Leaning his head down, Gibbs pressed a tender kiss to the boy's battered forehead.

"I'll keep you safe. You're mine now, son."

………………………………………………………………………………………

**Hmn…Well then. There it is. Thanks to peanutmeg! Awesome idea. I'll make this short. Little disclaimer: I own nothing! That was easy. I love you guys and your comments and your encouragement. It's fantastic, it really is. Thank-you for that. Message: if there are any huge spelling mistakes then I apologise, I'm just getting a tad carried away one might say and I forget to check things. Thanks to Jen, can bounce ideas off you and all is well in the world. Life's seemin' pretty good right now. Enjoy the spring! **

**Soul Music**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five: Night That I Walked**

"Patient comin' in!"

"From where, Matt?" Running footsteps, getting closer.

"Outside, just brought in."

"Ambulance?"

"Father."

"What've we got?"

"Sir, you have to let us look at him."

"Help him."

"We will, sir, we will."

"Twelve year old male, severe malnutrition, multiple rib fracture, temperature, multiple bruises, possibly internal bleeding."

"Okay people, let's get him through to PR. On three, one, two, three."

"Sir, you can't go in there."

"The hell I can't!"

"Sir!"

"Get him out of here,"

"Don't tell me to leave. Tony!"

"Sir, your son is in good hands. Now, _please. _Let us do our jobs!"

A hinged door flaps closed.

"Talk to me, Jason."

"Uhm, three…four broken ribs, Doctor Peters. What's his name."

"Tony, his name's Tony."

"Sir, we need you to wait outside. Laura, please take him out."

"Get your hands off me!"

"Fine he stays, but keep him out the way!"

"Severe bruising over the ribs, fractured or broken?... Three broken, four more fractured."

"Blood pressure's dropping."

"Temperature's 103.2."

"Shallow breathing, sluggish pupil reaction, suspected concussion. Skin's pale."

"Tony? Can you hear me, I need you to keep your eyes open…He's not paying attention, Doctor."

"Difficulty concentrating, keep him awake, Jason."

"Sir, is your son allergic to anything."

"I…I don't know."

"His medical records, someone get me his damn medical records! Matt, get them!"

"Name, full name?"

"Anthony…DiNozzo."

"Matt, go! Now!"

"Elevated heart rate. 119 bpm."

"He's in tachycardia. He's coughing!"

"Get him on his side."

"Tony!"

So many voices. So many words. So much pain.

"Jason, I said keep him awake!"

"Tony, Tony! Can you open your eyes for me, come on keep them open."

"Tony!"

_So much pain._

………………………………………………………………………………………...

Doctor Alex Peters turned his head sharply at the persistent whine of the heart monitor.

"Code!" He yelled to the room. "Jason, compressions, Matt, bag!"

"But, Doctor, his ribs."

"Cracked ribs or death, Arton?" Peters snapped at Jason. "Now!" The younger doctor swallowed, starting chest compressions over the bruised and abused thorax.

"What the hell are you doing?" The voice from the doorway shouted; a command.

"Get. Him. Out." Peters commanded, ice in his voice, working over their frail patient.

"No!"

"Now! Every one not essential. Out. NOW! Security."

The assumed father was grabbed by the arm. He struggled, another arm grabbing at his arms, pulling him back. 190 pounds of struggling marine was fallen upon by three heavily adorned security guards, dragging bodily out of the room; his yells muffled by the constant resistance.

"He's back." Jason Arton's breathless voice informed as the constant wail gave way to the monotonous beeping of the heart monitor.

"OR?"

"OR two is ready."

"Stabilise and move out." The order was followed to the letter.

………………………………………………………………………………………...

Gibbs had only marginally calmed down by the time a doctor walked into the family waiting room. He'd almost worn a full trench in the carpet from his constant circling.

"Mr. DiNozzo?" The calm voice asked from the doorway. Gibbs turned, eyes flashing over the same doctor who had ordered his departure.

"Gibbs."

"I'm sorry?"

"My name's Gibbs."

"Oh, so Tony is not-."

"Where's Tony?" The doctor let the question slip for the moment.

"Tony's been taken to surgery. He's malnourished, suspected anaemia. We found a total of four broken ribs and three also cracked, luckily none punctured a lung, which is something of a miracle. He also has a broken arm, severely bruised kidneys and a mild concussion." The doctor stated as if this was a daily occurrence for him, his voice as neutral as his face.

"And?" Gibbs prompted impatiently, resisting the urge to slam the git into the wall.

"He has been taken to surgery to repair the break in his arm and check for any intensive internal bleeding,"

"Can I see him?"

"I'm afraid not, he was taken straight to the operation room. Now, I need you to fill out some paperwork, I shall send in a nurse to help you." With that the doctor, who hadn't even given his name left. Gibbs was left in silence, the situation sinking in slowly.

Doctor Peters walked away from the Family Room door towards the nurses station on the opposite side of the corridor. A young blonde haired nurse glared at him.

"The man's worried, Alex, and you just throw it back at him. Have you no heart?"

"Yes, I have two. My own and the one I ate for breakfast." His face was utterly deadpan. "He needs to get the signs in, would you mind."

"Not at all," The nurse's tone was icy.

"Thank-you, Amelia."

"Amy." The blonde nurse grumbled as he strode away, grabbing the necessary paperwork.

"Amy, be carefully. It took _three _security guards to take him down. Just…be careful." One of the Resuscitation nurses called after her as she made her way across the corridor.

"I'll be fine, Laura."

Gibbs looked up sharply at the new entrance.

"Hi, I'm Amy. I'm sorry to interrupt, I just need you to sign these and I need to ask you a few questions, its standard procedure." Gibbs nodded curtly, taking a seat in one of the armed chairs around the table, Amy sitting opposite him with a pen in hand.

"Patient's full name."

"Anthony DiNozzo."

"Any middle name?"

"I don't know, can't you check this in his file?" Gibbs tone was exasperated, running a hand through his crew cut hair.

"I'm afraid his medical file gave very little information. A broken leg when he was four but nothing since. Alright, your full name." Amy attempted to carry on, this might be a long afternoon.

"Gunnery Sergeant Jethro Gibbs."

"Marine?" Gibbs nodded curtly.

"Relation to the patient?"

"Will be my son."

" 'Will be'?" Amy echoed.

"Yes, I need to make a phone call." Amy sighed.

"Mr. Gibbs, is Tony your son or not?" Gibbs clenched his jaw.

"I'm adopting him."

"But the papers haven't gone through yet."

"But, he is my son." Amy conceded, just leaving the box blank.

"Mr. Gibbs…I need to ask where Tony sustained his injuries."

"His father beat him." Amy tried not to flinch at the dark tone suddenly in the voice, the room seemed to drop a few degrees.

"Child abuse? I'll call the police."

"No, you can't, not yet. Not yet." Gibbs insisted suddenly, shocking the young nurse enough to jump.

"Mr. Gibbs, its procedure in any abuse case, the police needs to be informed."

"Not this time. He's in my protection, Marine protection, not police." The look in those blue eyes couldn't be argued with. Amy found herself nodding after a moment, not able to stop herself.

"Can I use your phone?" Gibbs rephrased the statement as a request. Amy, still vaguely stunned by her own nod agreed, leading him to the nurse's station, the half finished forms still in her hand. Laura gave Amy a questioning look whilst Gibbs picked up a spare phone, dialling the familiar number.

"_Hello?"_

"Shannon... I need you."

………………………………………………………………………………………...

**Just a little short one. And to think, this was originally going to be a oneshot. Somehow he didn't turn out like that, did it? Anyway, I just thought I'd put this one up quickly, who knows which direction this'll go. It might not be very clear, and for that I apologise, but my mind tends to work in a very non-linear fashion. Thanks for keeping up this long, it really means a lot! I love all the reviews, brightens up the May mornings. I take full responsibility for mistakes, I am not a doctor, not even close. I learn from **_**House M.D. **_**and **_**Scrubs. **_**Strange, I know. I'll stop now, but I'll say another huge thank-you! **

**Eryn!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six: Carry You Over**

**Dedication: Jen, yeah, we both know why. Whilst angst can't be rushed the competition is certainly doing it's best to try!**

**Continuation of possibly the longest OneShot in history. How delightful!**

Gibbs had prowled back into the family room after his brief phone conversation. Nurse Amelia Maughan sat back in one of the vacant swivel chairs resting the folders of still unsigned medical forms on the white topped desk in front of her.

"Find out what happened?" Laura asked, pushing her own wheeled chair over, her eyes expectant.

"About what?"

"Oh, come on, Amy! About what happened! What happened to the patient!"

"You already know…we see if far too often." Amy sighed, running a hand over her pony-tail.

"I knew it, child abuse! I'll call 911. I knew that man was an animal the minute he came into the ER!" Laura had already picked up the phone as she continued to rant.

"Wait…what? No, no, that man isn't his father, he's going to adopt him." Laura almost dropped the phone.

"Oh that's even worse! Yes, worse! He's trying to pin this abuse on his father when it was actually him! What if his _real _father can't fight back? Maybe he's dead! See, see! He's a monster-."

"Uhm, Laura?"

"No, Amy! You always get too involved; you need to see things like they are. He brought him in so it would look like he's saving him. Some actor isn't he! And that phone call too, I watched him dial, that wasn't a New York number. Maybe this 'Shannon' is his partner in crime, or maybe-."

"Or maybe Shannon is his wife." A cool voice came from right behind Laura. The nurse gasped, spinning around to face the cold blue eyes. Amy watched the marine warily for a moment as he stood trying to hide the obvious anger in those expressive blue eyes.

"You're wife's your partner in this? That's sick, you're sick. He's just a boy, why would you do that?" Laura turned back to the dial pad of the phone, managing to type in 9-1 before the dial tone tore through her ear.

Looking up she saw the marine had moved in front of her, one hand pressing down the end-call button. Gibbs leaned down, palms pressed into the white work top.

"For once in your life, I suggest you listen." His voice was soft, eyes blazing with untold irate anger. "That _boy _in there is my son. It might not say it on paper, but he is mine. His biological father did this to him and he ran, he got out of there. I love that boy and my wife, my apparent _partner_, she does as well. I would _never _lay a hand on him."

Laura stared at the marine, no the _father _in front of him, swallowing thickly. Amy had even had a hand hovering over the 'Security', but the tone stayed her hand. It wasn't as much the words as the direct, loving tone. No, it was the sincerity. It seemed like the whole floor had dissolved into silence, watching the scene play out with stunned expressions from the crafted words. Words which came from the heart, not the mind.

Laura replaced the phone onto the cradle, looking down slightly.

"When my son is out of surgery, tell me." Gibbs straightened, directing the statement towards Amy. She nodded briefly, still stunned out vocally.

"Thank-you." Gibbs left the silent nurses station, running a hand through his dark hair.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

The bed was wheeled slowly into the small, calmly winter-sunlit room. Whitewashed walls made the room appear roomy and spaced out, even with its medical contraptions and softly beeping equipment. The bed seemed to take up most of the room, but left enough space for the curved plastic chairs all hospitals appeared to have.

Shannon gasped quietly, one hand resting upon the pale blue sheet covering the bed. The warm presence of her husband behind her helped to ground the teacher.

"_He's bad, Shan." Gibbs had murmured into her hair after the initial exclamation of names._

"_How bad?"_

_Gibbs swallowed. "Real bad, they won't tell me."_

"_He'll be okay, Jethro, we'll find something to do."_

"_What, Shannon? We can't send him back-."_

"_No."_

"_We can't give him over to foster, no-one'll foster a twelve year old."_

"_No-one?"_

"_Everyone wants young kids, make them their own. I don't know Shan. I need to find something for him, he deserves it. Hell, Shannon, he saved Kelly, didn't even know her, didn't ask for anything, injured himself doin' it and didn't expect anything." Gibbs ran a hand through his hair, frustrated. Wait a second, blue eyes turned back down onto his wife. Shannon smiled softly._

"_No-one?" Gibbs repeated softly._

"_I know you too well. I've told you time and again, you can't save everything…but…" Shannon paused for a minute. Four hours in a car on the way to New York had given her a lot of time to think, but somehow a few seconds more helped. "But, you can save him."_

_He could save him. He could. Gibbs sighed, swallowing. "Where's Kelly?" He muttered after a moment, he wasn't worried, there was no way his beloved wife would let anything happen to their daughter._

"_Staying with Maddie across the road. I told them one of us'll be back tonight." Shannon explained briefly. _

"_Mr. Gibbs?" The masculine voice interrupted the intimate moment. Gibbs turned, nodding at the middle aged doctor who was resting one hand in the pocket of his white coat, the other holding a clipboard._

"_Anthony made it through surgery without any complications, we are closely monitoring his temperature which is abnormally high but not yet dangerously so. Surgery set the breaks in his ribs and he was incredibly lucky to have no major internal bleeding. We are also going to monitor him carefully due to the fact that we believe he has suffered a concussion. Do you have any questions?"_

_That was a lot of information. No questions. "He's been assigned a room, I can show you there if you like, he will be brought in due course."_

Gibbs' head drooped slightly as the day drew on, the sky outside a bleak, neutral grey. He jerked as his chin bumped against his chest for the third time in half an hour. Shannon had been sitting slightly closer to the bed, watching the sedated – or was he just sleeping – figure and her husband in turn.

"Coffee." She murmured after watching him attempt once more or keep his head straight on his neck.

"Hmn?"

"Get yourself some coffee, Jethro. You're dead on your feet, I'll find you if anything changes." Gibbs sighed for what seemed like the hundredth time that day. It was still mid morning, Shannon having arrived an hour or so ago. He felt like he'd been there for days, same place, and same predicament. But, coffee did seem like a good alternative right now. He hauled himself out of the chair, pausing only to kiss Shannon on the cheek.

Shannon followed him with her gaze for a moment before switching back to the prone, thin figure on the bed, the covers pulled up around his chest, wires snaking around and around.

Minutes passed in light succession, the only indication of this the deep clunk of the clock in the hallways, clacking away the morning into the day, the soft bustle of the hospital oblivious in the sunlit room.

Shannon had been grasping the small, delicate fingers for a while when she felt the slight twinge. She'd been drifting off herself, hr mind spinning with the facts, what she'd just agreed to do. She loved her daughter, of course she did, there was no buts about it! She was, however, growing up. Asking questions; asking why her daddy left, why he wasn't there for her birthday, his birthday, Christmas. Shannon had told her, told her he was off saving the world, but it was only a matter of time before she asked why the world was more important than she was.

And with two children? With this sweet, young child who had attached himself to her husband, felt safe in his presence. How would he adjust to a military brat's lifestyle? Would he be strong enough? Would she be strong enough, could she do it? She could deal with six year old, could deal with Kelly, but she had no experience with older children, this was different, so different.

But, the twinge in his fingers, the twitch against her palm, that had brought her back to the present. The pale eyelids were flickering, eyes moving back and forth. Shannon moved a hand up, brushing the soft hair back from the gently fevered forehead.

"Hey there, sweetheart," Shannon's soft greeting was replied to with the slightest peek of emerald, blurry and unfocused. His eyes roamed. Well, one eye did, the other stayed stubbornly swollen shut.

The boy mumbled something, causing Shannon to lean forward, eyes staring into the deep, confused pools of green.

"W-where?" Was the only word Shannon could make out.

"You're in a hospital, honey, you're safe now." She assured the young boy, but even her gentle hand didn't still the pained gaze, eyes widening in fear of the word 'hospital'?

"My…my f-father?" he stumbled over his words, his brain muddled by so many things. The murmur was almost lost with the groan of undisguised pain as his ribs were jostled.

"You're father's not here, Tony, he'll never be here." The voice was a calming balm spreading out across the room, Shannon didn't need to look up, the voice was one she cherished. "Don't worry at all about your father." Tony moved his head slowly on the pillow, watching Gibbs appearing in the doorway with two cups of coffee, one which Shannon accepted gratefully, one hand still curved over Tony's.

"Gibbs!" The voice was less than a whisper, but the boy still tried to push himself up onto his elbows, to sit up. He moaned, the pain assaulting him in the delayed reaction of his sluggish brain. Gibbs was by the bed in a moment, the coffee on the sideboard.

"Hey, hey, calm down, son. Calm down." His voice was gentle, urgent as he lowered Tony back onto the soft pillows.

"You…you came to get me?" Tony mumbled, his eyes staring down at the sheets as his memories fastened together like some sort of impossible puzzle. His brow furrowed slightly, the pain medication hazing his view.

"Yeah, I did, and I'd do it again, you got that?"

Green eyes met the deep cerulean. Trust, pure, utter trust. Just trust.

Those same green eyes drooped, the eyelids becoming so heavy.

"Sleep now, Tony." Shannon's smooth voice advised, her hand resting on his cheek. Tony almost obediently lent into the touch as his eyelids lost their battle with gravity.

…………………………………………………………………………………….

With the concussion watch, doctors slid in and out of the room on the tick of the hour, letting the parents wake the boy after the first time. That doctor hadn't come back after the twin glares and the almost growl from the father. No, it was _safer _for one and all if the parents did it.

By three in the afternoon, the next doctor had appeared for the next round. This time, however, he was in luck. He didn't have to ask the rather intimidating Gibbses to wake their boy, he seemed to be just coming round with his light slumber, brow furrowed in the light pain the meds weren't counteracting.

"Everything's fine here." The doctor announced carefully, although keeping his voice low so not to agitate the boy's headache. Although his voice was more or less neutral all the time, so it wasn't too hard. Neither Shannon nor Gibbs had really taken to Doctor Peters. He was just leaving when another figure appeared at the door. Now, Doctor Peters might have the bedside manner of a Rhino, but he was polite enough to hold the door open.

"Hi!" A cheerful voice announced herself as the women in a smart grey dress suit stepped into the room, the door closing behind her. "I'm Sarah Warner, I'm from Social Services."

With the introduction Gibbs stood up quickly, his chair scraping against the floor. The woman continued unperturbed.

"I was wondering if I could talk to Anthony alone." Gibbs was about to answer in the negative when Shannon laid a hand on his chest, standing up somewhat more delicately herself.

"It's okay, Jethro, I know what it's about, it's procedure, Tony'll be fine." She turned her room-warming smile on the very apprehensive boy curled up in his bed. "We'll be just outside, honey, okay? There's nothing to be scared about." She kissed the hand she'd been holding, laying it gently back on the bed as the sleepy child watched her leave. Gibbs ran a hand over the boy's hair, leaving a soft kiss on his forehead, avoiding the suture tape carefully before leaving after his wife.

"Hi there, Anthony, can I call you Anthony, or do you prefer something else?" Sarah asked brightly, taking one of the newly vacated chairs.

"Um…I prefer Tony?"

"Okay! Now, Tony, I have something very serious to ask you. There's a big choice you have to make, d'you think you can do that for me?"

Tony blinked owlishly at her, one hand crumpling the sheets between his fingers. "I'll try ma'am." His voice was quiet.

"Brilliant, I'll start at the beginning, shall I?"

…………………………………………………………………………………….

**Oooh, well, interesting. I don't know, I'm just a little crazy sometimes…okay most of the time. We'll see what happens in the next chapter. You guys are awesome, you really are. You light up my day and make my fingers fly faster. Which is good with three stories on the hop (tell me I'm not crazy…no, I just admitted I am, it's all good). Hope you're liking this one, next chapter up'll be for **_**Down The Other Road **_**and hopefully will be up soon. Thanks for tuning in and hope you're having as enjoyable a time as I am!**

**Eryn [Soul Music]**


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter: Forgiveness and Love**

Sarah Warner was leaning forward in her chair, a seemingly fixed smile on her face. And that was all Gibbs could see through the window of the hospital room, her face coming in and out of view as he paced. Shannon watched him carefully, head moving like a tennis spectator.

"What's she asking him?" His voice was a near command, edging towards an interrogation, but Shannon was used to his directness.

"Just routine questioning I guess. Come sit down, breath in…and out, take your blood pressure down a bit."

Gibbs gave a slight smile, plopping himself down into the chair beside his wife, draping an arm around her shoulders out of habit.

Sarah Warner's beaming smile was starting to unnerve him. It just didn't falter.

"Right, so you have a bit of a choice to make here, Tony, but don't worry, I'll help you out, okay? Good. Well, I've been told something that's very interesting." She paused, properly for dramatic effect, but Tony – who felt more like a crash test dummy on a bad day – was just concentrating on…well, concentrating through his pain med haze.

"Well, I was told," Miss. Warner continued, "that your father isn't a very nice man. And that you can't go back to him. I'm sorry about that."

"I'm not." Tony's voice was distinctly bitter.

"Hmm, oh well. You have two options. Firstly there's an amazing foster home just outside Baltimore that would really love it if you'd join them. There are lots of kids your age, some older. It'll be like having lots of brothers and sisters around you to look after you, help you out! It'll be _really _fun." She didn't feel like putting in the occasion call the police tended to get about domestic disturbances. Her smile hardly faltered at his downcast expression.

"Then there's this other option. It seems that Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs want to adopt you, and since this is a child abuse – Tony winced – case, it can be _quite _difficult to get this through, but that's not the only problem there."

Tony blinked back the confusion.

"You see, Tony, that Mr. Gibbs, well he's a marine, did you know that."

"Yeah?"

"And he's gunna be leaving a lot, leaving home and going away. It'll leave lots to do around the house, live on a marine base, it would be a hard life."

"I know but-."

"And, did you know that Mr. and Mrs. Gibbs have a little girl?"

"Kelly?" The idea was dawning on the twelve year old.

"Yes, Kelly. Well, I don't want to say this in a _mean _way, but Tony, you have to remember this. Kelly is their daughter, their biological daughter, she was there first. You don't want her thinking you're _invading _do you? No-one wants to feel like that, and no-one would feel like that at the foster home. You're all in the same position there, you're always wanted. You don't want to disrupt the Gibbs family too much more, right?"

"But…Gibbs said he'd always want me." Tony's voice was timid, a far cry from confidence.

"Will everyone in the family think the same? What about the extended family, Tony, you have to think of them. The aunts and grandparents. What about Kelly and Mrs. Gibbs?"

"Get out." A voice colder than the great peak of Everest and just as sharp. Sarah Warner started, her head shooting across to the door.

"Mr. Gibbs, I'm afraid I…I haven't finished yet."

"Yes, you have Miss. Warner." Shannon's bright eyes were blazing as she laid a hand on Gibbs' arm, mostly to stop him flooring the Social Services lady.

"I only have a few more questions, its standard procedure."

"Is it standard procedure to frighten children into their choices? Fill their mind with lies?" Gibbs voice was malice laid bare.

"They aren't lies, Mr. Gibbs. He's old enough to know the truth."

"He's twelve!"

"A warped truth. You don't know anything about us, about our family. You have no right to tell Tony how we feel, you don't know." Annoyingly, Miss. Warner's smile was still firmly in place. Worrying.

"I'm just giving him the options, Mrs. Gibbs, Mr. Gibbs. He had the right to his own decision.

"Seems like you were making it for him!" Gibbs spat. "Leave. Now." The ice had returned, cold and harsh.

"Fine, I'll just have to put this in my report." Sarah Warner replied primly, gathering her papers. "Goodbye, Tony. Think over what I've said." She attempted to reach out to the boy, but found six foot of marine wall securely blocking her path. His expression spoke volumes. She left.

Tony had remained worryingly silent throughout the heated exchange, fiddling absently with the pale blue blanket covering his legs. The bed shifted as Gibbs took a seat on it, the mattress sinking slightly against the frame.

"I know it's your decision, Tony, and I'm not gunna push, but I just want you to know that what she said, about our family, there's nothing anyone could say to make that true." Tony stared into the cool, blue eyes, the sincerity radiating like a cool breeze on a hot summers day. He could feel Shannon take a stand on the other side of his bed, her hand clasping his gently.

"It's your decision, honey." Shannon stroked a thumb across the back of his hand, smiling slightly as he yawned widely.

"Sleep, Tony."

"But, I wanna tell you," The voice was heavy, sleepy, bleary green eyes drooping.

"Tell us what, bud?"

"I want to stay with you."

The voice trailed off at the end as Tony's eyes slid shut, resting back against the pillows.

Gibbs smile was priceless, Shannon could see the soft sheen of tears this sweet boy had brought to her husband. She'd never seen him cry, on the board of tears once or twice, but never actually cry, and the last time had been Kelly's birth.

Wrapping a careful arm around Tony's shoulders, Gibbs lent the little boy against his side, head flopping onto his shoulder.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

_It had been two weeks since Tony had been released from the hospital, a bright smile on his face and a bouncing Kelly skipping around the edge of his wheel chair, trying to tell him two stories at once._

_The drive from New York back to Washington had been a whole mirage of Kelly chattering, telling Tony anything that came to her five year old mind. Especially things about the house, every nook and cranny and hiding spot. And Tony took it all in. He'd never had any siblings and his cousins weren't exactly those types to confide secrets in. He'd found he rather liked it, not minding Kelly's tongue going at a mile a minute. And the grin worn by both parents could light up the grey day._

It was five thirty by the clock in the kitchen when Shannon pushed open the front door, letting Kelly, who'd just been picked up from a friend's, bound through the doorway. Gibbs looked up with a smile, pausing in his peeling of potatoes. Kelly barrelled straight through the door, crashing unceremoniously into Tony's legs as he slid off the stool by the kitchen island. Gibbs flung out an arm to steady his boy, not wanting to see him crash down to the kitchen floor.

"Woah, Kels! Take it easy!" It wasn't really an admonish, it lacked any heat and the fond smile stayed plastered on his lips as Kelly wrapped her arms around Tony's thighs, already having learnt that hugging his ribs wasn't a good idea.

"Tony! Daddy! You'll never guess what happened today. Guess, guess!"

"But, you just said I never would, do you'll just have to tell me."

"Mommy got called to the Headmistresses office because of me!"

"What?" A simultaneous answer from Gibbs and Tony; Gibbs head shot a look at Shannon, his eyes sharp. Shannon just smiled gently, picking up his discarded peeler and a half peeled potato.

"Someone going to explain?" Gibbs asked, looking at his two girls.

"Mommy can tell, Mommy's the best at telling stories, except Tony, 'cos Tony does all the voices too!" She stuck her tongue out at Gibbs.

"Cheeky!" The marine swung his daughter up into his arms, kissing her hair softly whilst turning to Shannon.

"It was just a bit of a misunderstanding." Shannon smiled, picking up a new potato.

_Leslie Byron, headmistress of the school Shannon taught at and Kelly learnt at, looked up at the soft knock to her door._

"_Ah, Shannon, please take a seat."_

_Shannon did so, "What's going on, Leslie?"_

"_I'm just a little worried about Kelly-."_

"_What? Why?"_

"_Well, it seems that her teacher – you know Esme Sanders? – Well, Miss. Sanders tells me Kelly's been saying some rather odd things."_

"_Like?"_

"_Like she has a new brother. She told Alice Collard in her class that you and Jethro had brought home a new brother. Someone called Tony? I'm worried she might have an imaginary friend, you took no maternity leave and she seems to think that this 'Tony' is her older brother."_

_Shannon stared._

"_Shannon, sweetie?"_

"_She couldn't help it, she burst out laughing._

"_What? What have I said?" Leslie Byron stared, confused._

"_Oh, Leslie! Tony's not an imaginary friend, he's adopted! The paper's haven't gone through yet, so we haven't told anyone except family." Shannon finished, leaning back relieved in her chair._

"_Oh. Oh!" Leslie clapped her hands together. "Oh, congratulations Shannon, you had me worried there. This is wonderful, wonderful."_

By the end of the retelling, Gibbs was also grinning happily, Kelly insisting on helping her mother with the vegetables. Gibbs turned, expecting to see the wide grin Tony had worn permanently for the past few weeks. Instead he was met with a downcast expression and a twelve year old flicking idly through a book on the kitchen island.

"Hey, Kels, why don't we get started on that reading you have to do." Shannon suggested quietly, ushering the chattering little girl out into the living room.

Gibbs pulled up a stool round beside his boy, resting an elbow on the kitchen worktop. Tony was the first to break the silence.

"Is this what she meant, Miss. Warner, when she said I'd disrupt the family." His voice was quiet, head still angled downwards.

"What?" Gibbs blinked.

"The adoption isn't even final and I'm already making things hard. Especially for Kelly. Got her in trouble at school and I don't even go yet, I always make a mess of stuff. Should just go to that foster home. If you want I'll just leave, go pack now and-."

"Hey, hey, Tony! Think about what you're sayin'." Gibbs voice was soft, urgent, raising a hand to cup the boy's chin, turning his head gently.

"Do you want to be here?" He got no answer, the green eyes still averted.

"Tony." He tapped the cheek with a finger. "Tony, do you want to be here?" Huge green eyes stared up at him, the voice quivering.

"More than anything."

"Then we want you here. Remember what I said at the hospital? We will never think of you like that, you will never disrupt this family. You're my son, Anthony, I love you like one and always will. You are part of this family." Sliding a hand round the back of Tony's head, Gibbs pulled the boy against his chest, holding the boy as tightly as his healing injuries would allow. Tony snuggled into the loving embrace, head tucked softly under Gibbs' chin.

From the doorway Shannon smiled, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Love.

Hope.

Home.

Family.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

**I'm going all mushy. Ah well, thanks for all your reviews, it seriously makes everything worth it. I'll dedicate this last chapter to dear Anni. And Jen, I think you're winning with that latest chapter. Here's just a little compertitions to se the ball rolling. Who knows what I can do later, I may get a sequel up with this, you all know I'm a bit crazy when it comes to more stories. Hope you liked it, hope you like it more like. Thanks for everything!**

**Eryn**


	8. Chapter 8

**A Darkening Doorway**

**The Shadow of a Man**

**Two Weeks After**

There were no words to describe it, none at all. The pain had come in an unexpected wave. After wave. After wave. The words spoken in earnest had held no meaning after the first sentences; he didn't know how to feel any more. This wasn't how it was supposed to end; he was supposed to be the one to go, here, halfway across the world, where it was dangerous. There it was supposed to be safe! That was what he was fighting for, so his family wouldn't have to pay.

Instead he'd paid, paid more than he knew he had ever earned. And it was killing him inside, pulling ever so gently, piece by piece.

Every word spoken to him over the phone had sent needles into his heart, how could he stand it. How could anyone take this news? His family, his babies. Why hadn't he been there? Hot tears welled up as he dropped the phone, he couldn't listen any more. He slid down the wall, ignoring the looks from the other occupants, and cried.

**Two Months Past**

The cold, empty hole that had built up, icicles stabbing each movement and breath, the pain driving straight through his heart. The graveyard cold and dark, the trees silent but the wind howling, screaming just so loudly, deafening. The voice of the pastor had long since faded; there was just the rush of the wind, the screech of defiance. The windswept grass grew lush and prosperous beyond each gravestone, new fertilizers. Give back to the earth what was so long ago taken from it. There was no open casket, was there even enough left to see. The coffins were too light, too light for the life and substance they held dear. He'd been told the facts, but there wasn't _enough _that could be found. Enough of his sweet family, innocent family. There hadn't been enough of them left to fill the coffins. It made him so sick.

He shed no tears at the funeral. Not when the first coffin was gently lowered. The stiff rope had burnt through his bare palms, but there was no feeling there, just the empty cold. No feeling.

He shed no tears at the funeral. Not when the second coffin was lowered gracefully down through the ground. The softest thud could be registered from miles away, the silence was deafening.

He shed no tears at the funeral. Not when the third coffin was lowered. The last of the descending presents precious gifts he wouldn't have given if the choice had been his. If the choice had been his, there would be just one coffin being slowly consumed by the scattered dirt, the soil, the last gift given to the deceased, and the coffin would not be lowered by him.

The tears were shed alone, the darkness enclosing like a suffocating blanket of dread. Sobs wracked the broken body, once so strong and willing, a mind overlooking the light and the memories, consumed by the pain. No, no tears were shed at the funeral, but every tear was shed alone. Alone where no-one could see.

**Three Months After**

There was no way he could stay here. He shouldn't have come in the first place, it was a ridiculous idea. His bag lay on the naked bed, full to the brim of the necessities, everything he'd brought and nothing he'd been given. He couldn't take any more sympathy; he couldn't take any more looks. He hadn't spoken to his father for weeks, couldn't even look him in the eye. His voice was just a dull drone that was impossible to understand. He couldn't take the glares from his mother in law. He couldn't answer the questions thrown at him, he couldn't stand them anymore. He didn't know why they were taken, at least he couldn't tell anyone. He couldn't say why her baby – his babies – weren't coming back. He couldn't say why there were three empty spaces in his heart, three empty spaces in his mind. He couldn't answer why it hadn't been him. He couldn't answer why.

He didn't know. He'd never know and now he couldn't think. He just had to leave.

The train station. Few trains passed this way, only one passed after ten pm a week. And he needed to be on it. His bag slumped onto the seat, he followed it. His back rested bent against the bench. He remembered the first time. The first meeting, the first conversation. He wasn't a lumberjack. Still wasn't. Lord he missed them, and it wasn't fair. Nothing was.

The train pulled up, and pulled away. And never once did he look back as Pennsylvania faded into the distance.

**Nine Months Past**

The heat, baking down in a deep crimson puddle. The sand scratching against his eyes, the spiked sticks digging into his stomach and chest. But, his concentration couldn't stay on that, there was only one focal point. Directly ahead of him. A moving target, hardly a challenge.

This seemed too easy. Three lives taken and he only got to return the favour o one. It didn't seem fair, was this man loved at all. He wasn't as loved as the three coffins buried down below for the silent months. He wasn't worth the pain, but it couldn't hurt right. He'd taken everything that meant something, anything to him. Stolen it away without the slightest hint of remorse. He didn't understand, he could never understand. So he would send a message. A clear and unrivalled message of agony. The hatred and the glare, there was nothing physically worse than the pain.

The feeling of the weapon against his shoulder, the slight narrowing of steel blue eyes before the crack broke the silent afternoon. There was nothing there to say, no words to speak of. Just wordless screaming at the sky. The truck had swerved, the windscreen shattered in a spider web of splinters. And yet, the pain didn't go away. Nothing would make it fade. Not now. Not yet. Mexico wouldn't help.

**Thirteen Months After**

He'd met her on the street, Alexandra. Almost knocked down by the driver of the truck. She'd been holding a small child, crying over his grazed knee and bleeding palms. He'd offered his help in picking up her shopping, carrying it back to her house just a block away. Been invited in for dinner.

Never left. He was never asked to leave.

The time passed quietly, quickly, peacefully. The memories burnt bright, but never talked about, never mentioned. They didn't need to resurface, right? He didn't need it right now. They'd want him to move on, right? Move on? He could do that; he could honour their memory by himself. There was no need to tell.

* * *

The Shadowed Facts

**Three Weeks Before**

_The street lights were each popping into focus, the yellow light filling the street with colour previously robbed by the setting sun. The door was opened with the slick of a key and a hushed voice quickly ushered someone inside. _

"_Tony." A voice called hurriedly as the door was shut firmly behind the two entrants, one grasping her mother's hand tightly. "Tony!"_

"_What, mom?" A young male voice answered as he jogged down the stairs, a guitar in one hand and his hair sticking up inelegantly around his head. His mother, well, adopted mother, flicked on the hallway light, illuminating her slightly pale, if flushed, face._

"_Why didn't you come the first time I called?" The question given was much sharper than usual answer supplied as she removed a little strawberry blonde girl's coat, hanging it up behind the door, her eyes flicking to the window in the next room which looked out onto the street._

"_I was upstairs playin,' okay, that a crime now?" The teenager snapped, getting to the bottom of the stairs with a glare. Shannon sighed, since her husband's last deployment, Tony's usually impeccable manners and polite disposition had fallen through a deep hole in the ground. He was argumental, quiet and self contained. It broke her heart to see him so. She sighed._

"_No, sweetie, look...just take Kelly and go watch some TV, okay." Tony's eyes fell on the unusually quiet eight year old, green eyes narrowing. _

"_Sure." He stared towards the living room, Kelly following behind him. He let Kelly pass before he glanced back at his mother, still standing quietly next to the coat rack._

"_Everything okay, Mom?" He asked quietly, fiddling with the tuning keys to his guitar. Shannon raised her head, showing through the strong marine wife, forcing a smile._

"_Yeah, honey, I'm fine." With a reluctant nod, she watched her son moved behind the wall which blocked the living room from the hallways and she reached for the phone. _

**Seventeen Hours Remaining – One Forty Six AM**

_The thick quilt which was snugly tucked into the sides of the bed had long since been pulled out and tossed about as the erratic sleeping patterns of the fifteen year old spent his energy further. Finally, just after one in the morning the facade of sleep was dropped. He couldn't even fake it any more. With a yawn and a sigh Tony shoved the covers off himself, uncaring as they flopped onto the floor, and pushed himself out of bed, toes curling into the thick sheepskin rug he'd latched onto when they'd first moved into the house. He stepped quietly over the creaky floorboard and made his way across to the curtained window. With a hand he slowly drew back the fabric from the glass, staring out across the street. There, as usual, and as there had been for almost three weeks, was the black, immovable van. Unmarked, boring and consistently foreboding. But, that wasn't the worst thing. _

_There was never any privacy now. Wherever he went he knew there was someone watching. Someone in a dark suit and occasionally very stereotypical dark glasses. It felt too much like he had all those years ago, always being followed by a minion of his father, never a moment's peace, never a moment's comfort when he needed it. This was just like that, but maybe even worse. Maybe worse because he was so used to feeling safe here, feeling as if he belonged, and now this dark an dismal reminder of his old life had come back in full swing. _

_He knew, for a fact, that there was at least one agent of the trusty NIS downstairs, two in fact, and he didn't know how many there were in the van, but he guessed two. That made four delightful stalkers to remember. __Tony sank down into his plush beanbag, resting his elbow on the window sill, and supporting his chin in his hand, before staring blankly out at the bleak night, and the flickering street lamp a few doors down. __There were some times when you just wished that picking up the phone and calling a different country was as easy as calling someone down the street._

_It had been easy enough for his mother to call the police; recount the tail of the crime he'd been told he wasn't allowed to know about, and land the whole family in what seemed to be protective custody. Why couldn't he just call Gibbs? Apparently that wasn't allowed, or physically possible. He didn't even know why he was in 'protective custody', he'd been told something about a witness of a crime, some crime or other that no-one would tell him more about. He could still remember the day his mother had grasped the phone telling of how her daughter and her had witnessed something awful, her voice lowered so much Tony couldn't hear, and Kelly wouldn't tell. It had scared him a whole lot more than anything else. But, he still wanted to talk to his father._

_Shame. A painful shame._

_His mind had wandered away to greener pastures when movement caught his eye. He raised his head, craning around the edge to try and see past the side of his window. Something flitted quickly out of view, something dark and hunched. Tony stared after it into the blank shadow for a good few minutes, frowning. Should he tell the agents? Nah, they'd already seen, and since no-one was running full pelt shouting orders it was probably a stray dog...right?_

**Eight Hours Remaining – Ten Twenty Three AM**

_Morning. Ten o'clock and all hell seemed to break loose at the breakfast table. It was a very late breakfast, a Saturday lie in for the family. Though it was doubtful any of them were sleeping well. Tony himself was only poking dejectedly at his pancakes whilst Kelly mimicked him across the table._

"_You'll be okay looking after Kels for a couple of hours whilst I run out, won't you Tones?" Shannon asked absentmindedly from beside the stove, scraping another pancake from the pan. Tony's head shot up._

"_What? No. Mom, it's Saturday, you know, the day I was goin' round to Luke's. C'mon, Mom, we've had this day for ages, had to with _them._" He finished darkly, throwing a glance over to the two agents calmly sitting in the adjacent room, keeping a close eye on the family. Shannon sighed, something she'd been doing a lot recently. She knew this protection detail was hard on her son, he was so used to being active, and spending his time outside, and now he couldn't. None of the family could leave the house without what seemed like permission. Still, her son had had the date set for almost two weeks, there was so much checking to go through just to let the boy move outside the confines of his garden, but finally they'd managed to swing it that Tony could visit his friend for a while at least. _

"_You're right, I'm sorry sweetie. It's just-."_

"_Why can't Kelly take care of herself, I was at her age." The words left his mouth before he'd even registered them. He couldn't make eye-contact with his loving, adopted mother as he laid his fork down in the deep, awkward silence. _

"_Excuse me." He muttered, pushing back from the table and vanishing up the stairs. Shannon, her heart pounding relentlessly against her rib-cage, leant her palms against the kitchen counter, bracing herself as her head dropped to her chest for a moment. Unshed, well deserved tears teetered against her pale eyelashes before she blinked them back, furiously swiping at her eyes._

**Four Hours Remaining – Two Thirteen PM**

_The black van pulled up in front of the residential house, three of the seven occupants stepping out from the tinted vehicle, one almost bouncing with pent up energy. At fifteen, almost sixteen, and Anthony Gibbs had never spent so long cooped up in the Gibbs house. The fresh hair was like a breeze of life as he watched the door open, his friend Luke appearing with a wide grin._

_The agents, "affectionately" nicknamed 'Suit' and 'Tie' by the boys, refused to let Tony and Luke outside the perimeter of Luke's back garden. Yet, this didn't seem to quell the energy. Especially when Luke appeared with a basketball. It wasn't long before the one-on-one game turned into a two aside with the agents pulling off their jackets to join in, but stopping every half hour for a status report. _

**Twenty Minutes Remaining – Six Twenty Two PM**

'_Suit' and 'Tie's partners had already decided that the only way they were going to be able to watch their charges properly, was to ferry all of them around at the same time; have them all in the same place at the same time. It seemed the best solution. _

_Tony had reluctantly spoken his goodbye's to Luke on his quiet, slightly-out-of-town road before being bundled back inside the van. He tried to be as upbeat as he could, telling Kelly and his mom about the game, embarrassing 'Suit' and 'Tie' by talking of their appalling basketball skills. But, it wasn't really Luke he wanted to play with, it was his dad._

**Ten Minutes Remaining – Six Thirty Eight PM**

_Luke's house was a good half hour drive out of town, away from the base. A steep hill lead in a large circle away from his house, a winding road, the only to get from one side to the other, a steep curve around the side of the hill, a blind corner and one rarely used unless by residence. And no-one was coming home right now. 'Suit' was chatting amiably with Tony whilst Kelly stared dejectedly out the window._

"_Hey, Kels." Tony tried to brighten the atmosphere, "Remember, tomorrow you get to go see Maddie for the whole day, I'm really jealous there." He joked, brightly. _

"_You're jealous, why? You just got to play with Luke." Kelly pouted slightly._

"_Yeah...but not for the _whole _day." He emphasised. He frowned, pushing up his sleeve. "Damn, I forgot my watch!" The watch Gibbs had given him his first Christmas as a Gibbs. Just as the far slowed down, reaching the in climb, Tony pushed the back door of the van open, jumping out._

"_Hey!" 'Tie' yelled, unbuckling his seatbelt as the boy sprinted down the path._

**Two Minutes Remaining – Six Forty One PM**

_Tony strapped the watch onto his left wrist cheerfully as he jogged up the in climb with Agent Tie._

"_Well, they coulda waited." Tony remarked with a grin, noticing that the van was no longer on the small level of flat road before the steeper drop of the concrete towards the base. Tie frowned slightly, lengthening his stride slightly, causing Tony to speed up his jog._

_The van had skipped diagonally across the road, its nose buried in the ditch running parallel to the pavement. The front hood was crumpled, one wheel missing. Neither the agent nor Tony had heard the car start the decent. Neither had heard the yell as the driving agent tried to push his foot to the floor with the brake to no avail. Purposefully frayed brake lines. _

"_Mom! Kelly!" Tony breathed as he broke into a run, watch forgotten about, Tie hot on his heels. The decent was a good two hundred yards of pure downhill. The man and the boy made it almost two hundred yards before the car exploded, the trickling gas igniting in a full breath of pure, destructive golden flame. _

**Impact Point**

_Tony was thrown back harshly by the concussive force, smacking hard into the ditch, his head smacking against the hard mudded side. Bleary green eyes blinked lethargically, pain spreading across the back of his skull. Flickering orange filled his vision, burning through his eyelids even as his eyes slipped shut. The boy's left wrist slumped down into the rain soaked ditch, the light pattering of ash falling on his unconscious face just as the half fastened watch slipped from his lifeless wrist into the deep, sucking mud below._

_The sky was painted brilliant orange, streaks of gold and yellow flashing through the sky. Black smoke rose in a haze above the wreckage. One intact body, hidden far in the blackening ditch beside the road, the rest scattered. Memories, secrets, loves...lost to the blazing glory of the broken edge._

* * *

**A Darker Side Of One Mistake  
****A Door Once Closed, Is Only Ready To Be Sealed Forever**

It had been fourteen months. Fourteen long months. And each day seemed to get...it never got easier, but he found times when he wasn't just thinking about them. He was thinking about...other things, sometimes even the future. But, today, today he was thinking about them.

Twenty Sixth of November. Shannon's birthday. He'd been up here, to their final resting places for every birthday he could find. Kelly's ninth birthday, Tony's seventeenth. He'd been here every time, alone. No-one else could come close to him. Every time he cleared away the clinging ivy and the persistent grass. Each time he left the small, naturally occurring blossoming flowers which poked cheerily through the grass, but today, the flowers had gone. Winter had stolen them away. So, he brought his own. A small offering for brightening up here what had brightened up his entire soul when they'd breathed. Three beautifully carved grave stones in a row, together amongst strangers.

_Shannon Gibbs, beloved daughter, mother and wife. _

_Kelly Gibbs, beloved daughter and sister _

_Anthony Gibbs, beloved son and brother _

And their dates, all too short to be carved into sparkling granite.

Gibbs took a deep breath of the cold, pre-winter air as he rose, the flowers lying delicately across now bare patch of ground. He could think of no words to say, therefore none were said, just a reluctant turn away and a sigh which clouded upwards towards the sky in a twisted grey haze.

It was strange, and it felt somehow wrong to admit that for the first time in almost a year and a half, he could smile. He could smile at Alex as she moved around the living room, in front of the blazing, warming fire, the first of the year. He could smile at five year old Maxxie in his favourite Superman pyjamas, as he terrorized the old ginger cat who just wanted some peace by the fire.

"Max." He heard Alex's soft voice as he straightened up from stoking the fire. "What have we told you about poking Frodo?" Her words were a reprimand, but her tone wasn't even close. The boy looked up with a grin only a seven year old could give.

"But, he likes it, see he's still purring!" It was true, the eleven year old Frodo was still purring, but then Gibbs had never come across a time when the cat wasn't purring...Well, maybe when it was yowling for food. He'd always been a dog person himself.

Gibbs settled himself down on the sofa beside Alex, Maxxie proceeding to poke and prod the innocent cat who just sat there stoically in front of the fire.

"Jethro..." Came Maxxie's young voice from the carpet. Blue eyes turned amiably on the boy. "Can I have your shoelace to make Frodo chase? He always chases your shoe laces!" The boy's big brown eyes sparkled as the _ex_-marine smiled softly, slipping off the sofa to untie one of his shoes, causing Maxxie to laughed happily.

Unusual for the hour, or for that matter the weather, which was smacking down against the windows with a vendetta, the unmistakable sound of the doorbell shrilled. Gibbs glanced up, but Alex was already rising to her feet.

Alexandra Drake was a woman of about five foot eight, deep red hair pulled back in a sensible pony-tail, her bright eyes staring calmly ahead of her as she reached for the plain painted white front door. From the light on the porch she could already see the silhouette behind the fuzzy glass plates lining the door. She slowly pulled back the chain lock and catch, pulling the door open slightly.

"Can I help you?" She asked pleasantly taking in the young man in front of him. He was just under six foot, or there about, his light brown hair was windswept and rain slicked, bright eyes widening in surprise at the door.

"Uhm...I'm sorry, I was looking for J-Jethro Gibbs? Am I in the wrong place?" The boy swallowed, hands stuffed into the pockets of his coat, shoulders hunched, making him look younger in the pale light from the porch lamp. Alex smiled reassuringly, keeping her suspicions at bay; she could always ask Jethro later when a boy no older than seventeen was huddled on their porch.

"No, he's here, just give me a sec. Come on, it must be freezing outside." She beckoned him in, shutting the door to keep all the warm air from escaping.

"Jethro, it's for you." Alex called back through the house as she once again took in the young man's skinny frame, pale features and high-set, elegant cheekbones.

His eyes appeared to widen even more when Gibbs appeared from around the corner, holding a yawning boy on his hip. Gibbs had been smiling, but that expression faltered like a train wreak when he laid his eyes on the newcomer.

Slowly and carefully, Gibbs deposited the boy on the floor, his eyes never leaving the young man who was staring back at him with a mixture of confusion, hurt, pain and wonder.

"Tony." Was the only word breathed in the silence. There was a longer pause, stretching out across the hallway broken only by the soft crackling of the fire. He's alive. His son was...alive. He was buried, buried so far down, but...he stood right in front of him. He was alive, so alive, just staring back at him.

"I...I thought you were l-looking for me." Tony's voice was thin and soft, huge green eyes that Gibbs remembered so well showing such pain and disbelief.

In the silence Alex moved quickly over to Maxxie, guiding the tired boy up the stairs towards the second floor and his bedroom.

Gibbs eyes fixed on his boy, his little boy.

"Tony." He couldn't stand just looking at what had to be a mirage in front of him. But...Alex had seen him, he couldn't be a mirage. Taking the few steps forward, Gibbs embraced the boy he'd thought he'd lost. He wrapped his arms around the boy's back, briefly noticing how thin the boy felt. But, thoughts were pressed rapidly aside as he brushed a hand over the back of Tony's head, tightening his grip on the soul he thought he'd lost.

Finally he released his stunned child, holding him at arm's length, unable to release his grip on Tony. But, there was pain lingering in the boy's eyes, a fresh, new agony of confusion built upon newer waves of pain.

Tony appeared to be floating in an endless, strange cloud. It was all too...surreal. He couldn't focus, he couldn't keep his mind on one thing. All he'd seen. His father, here, just...waiting. He looked happy, but...he had people around him. He wasn't looking for him, he'd looked _surprised _to see him. Why hadn't he looked for him all those months? Why had he left him alone? Why hadn't it have been _him _to tell him that Shannon and Kelly...that Mom and Kels. That. That they weren't coming' home for Christmas. Why hadn't it been him!

Shimmering tears welled up along the sides of his cheeks, shining in the light of the hall. He'd missed this man so much. It had beat in his heart every day that he'd find him. And he was here. He'd made it. But...it wasn't his father. No...This wasn't his daddy.

"Jethro?" Alex's soft voice asked behind him. Gibbs, still utterly stunned and overwhelmed, turned, blue eyes shining. "Jethro, what's going on?"

"Tony...how...you were dead?" Gibbs voice shook ever so slightly. Tony's eyes, if it were possible, widened even more. Gibbs could feel the slight tremble start under his palm, the palm that still held firm to his son's shoulder.

"Dead..." He murmured. "You thought...I was...I was. Dead?" His voice paled off into silence as the shock set in fully. No, it wasn't shock.

It was anger.

"You thought I was dead?" This time a stronger voice. "You thought I was dead so you..." He couldn't say the words. He knew the words, he could think of them and they were there. He could say them. "You replaced me? And Mom...and Kelly?" His voice shook violently, his shoulders following suit as he stepped back from Gibbs, shoulder crashing into the wall beside him.

"Jethro?" Alex muttered, staring at the distraught boy.

"Tony? I...I never _replaced _you. I thought you'd gone, thought you died." Tears freely fell from the teenager's eyes, more welling up each time one plunged to the floor. "Tony...son, why didn't you call?" Tony stepped away, eyes flicking away, trying to process the information, trying to take it all in. He was...dead to his dad? He rallied, clenching his jaw as the pain seemed to double inside his head.

"Apparently I was dead. It's hard to make phone calls six feet under." His voice was trembling now, his whole body shaking as his eyes looked anywhere but towards the end of the hallway.

"Tony...my son...I-."

"Son...what?" Tony attempted to straighten his shoulders, though his eyes were still avidly slipping over the floorboards. "I'm sorry, Mr. Gibbs, But you've made a mistake, your son's not here. He's upstairs and I'm sure he could use a father to tuck him in...Tell him goodnight. I apologise for interrupting your evening, ma'am...sir." Without a word the young man that had filled so many of Gibbs' sleepless nights over the past fourteen months, two weeks and eighteen days slipped through his fingers into the rain scattered darkness of the night.

* * *

**Continual and forever thank-yous to the fantastic Peanutmeg, virtual rounds of applause are yours for however you you want, thank-you.**

**Eryn**


	9. Explanations

Basically I'm on holiday now and I just re-read my last chapter, which I really dislike. So, here's how it goes. I'm going to rewrite chapter 9 because I have a much better idea of what I should do. If that makes sense. Yep, chapter 9.1 should be coming in soon. And yes, I am back. I could explain everything, but it'll take a long time and I'm sure you guys don't really want a rant or two! Still, I'll get onto that chapter 9.1!

Thanks as always,

Eryn [Soul Music]


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